Clovis commission approves $8.6 million for road work

The Clovis city commission on Thursday approved $8.6 million for road work on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

City Manager Justin Howalt said the funding is for Seventh Street to 21st Street, where the city plans to create a more comfortable and safer driving experience.

Howalt said the roads will be rebuilt and expanded from two lanes to three with bike lanes on each side. He said workers will also be tasked with establishing better sidewalks and lighting along each street.

Commissioner Helen Casaus said this was a big win for the city. She said they have been discussing the project as a part of the city’s roadway privatization list for years.

The funding for the project will come from the American recovery plan funds for $5.1 million, roadway bond funds for $1.6 million, and drainage funds for $1.8 million. K. Barnett & Sons will be constructing the roadways as they have done with Seventh Street in the past few months.

Howalt said it is still undetermined when the project will start, but he told the commission they should expect big changes in the first quarter of next year.