According to the Franklin News Post, Rocky Mount is hoping to conduct a successful revitalization project for uptown, just as they did recently completed for downtown. The uptown revitalization project extends from West Church Street to Floyd Avenue. It includes Main, West Court, Bank and Warren streets. The uptown project will allow freer pedestrian access, better parking and more business traffic.

Once completed the improvements could have significant impacts on area property values. However, the town council is currently struggling on how to fund the project. State and federal funding leave a gap of $1.4 million that the town must come up with to accept the lowest bid.

"Rocky Mount's local share of the long-delayed uptown revitalization project could be more than $1.4 million, which could force town council to make hard financial decisions in tough economic times. The low bid on the uptown project was $1,990,917.

The bid covers the replacement of water and sewer lines; replacing sidewalks and street surfaces; adding street trees, street benches, historic street signs and more crosswalks; new landscaping and other features.

The town has $631,550 in federal and state grants for the project, but that leaves a shortfall of $1,359,367.

In addition, the town could also face an additional cost of $200,000 for putting utilities underground. Town Manager James Ervin said Tuesday that the town's portion for all elements in the project could be $1.4 million to $1.6 million.

Ervin said the town has several options: scrap the uptown project; redesign the project to lower the cost; borrow the money to pay the local share; or use part of the town's reserve funds (more than $8 million) to pay the local share."

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