By Derek Spellman

dspellman@joplinglobe.com

NEOSHO, Mo. — Neosho officials say they hope to have a pair of downtown projects complete in the coming weeks while eyeing another streetscaping initiative for next year.

The reconstruction of a stretch of sidewalk along Spring Street and improvements to six municipal parking lots are slated for a Dec. 10 completion, weather permitting, said Desiree Bridges, the city’s communications manager.

The work includes the replacement of sidewalks on Spring Street between Jefferson Street and Big Spring Park. Work on the parking lots varies depending on the location, ranging from new landscaping and lighting to asphalt overlay and asphalt replacement. Both projects began in October.

The work is being financed by a $400,000 state grant and $73,885 in a local match.

Bridges said that later on, the city will replace the 18-foot streetlights now located on the exterior of the square with 12-foot lights. The 18-foot historic lights will be moved to the refurbished parking lots.

Other streetscaping, meanwhile, is planned for the square next year, financed by a $400,000 state grant and a $40,000 local match.

The grant will be used to finance work that includes narrowing streets by 10 to 15 feet and adding green space to the sidewalks on the exterior of the square. The project also calls for landscaping throughout the area, water features, brick-paved islands and crosswalks, and pedestrian seating.

The Neosho City Council last week authorized City Manager Jan Blase to negotiate with Hurst-Roche Engineers, which has offices in Neosho, to provide design and engineering services for the project.

Blase has said the city hopes to have the work on the square started by next summer.

Bridges said the city still has to solicit public input.

“We’ve got a lot of work sessions to do with the public,” she said. “We’re not going to rush into the streetscaping at all.”