By Fred Guarino
The Lowndes Signal

The main street in Lowndesboro is sporting some new stripes and colorful reflectors.

If you drive along Broad Street in Lowndesboro you will notice that in addition to the freshly painted center yellow lines, there are yellow reflectors in the middle of the road, white stripes along the road’s edge on both sides and red and white reflectors on the sidewalk side.

The Lowndes County Commission provided the yellow stripes throughout the county. But the white stripes, center yellow reflectors and red-white reflectors were the result of efforts by the Lowndesboro Town Council and Council member James Adams, according to Mayor Rick Pate.

The town council contracted with the county’s stripping contractor, Ozark Striping, at its own expense, to further enhance 1.6 miles of Broad Street, according to Pate and Adams.

“Safety” was the reason, Pate said.

He said citizens were concerned because the sidewalks are within two feet of the paved road. He explained that the council paid for the additional striping and reflectors from its gasoline tax funds.

“We just want to make sure nothing happens. We’re trying our best to slow people down (with the help of the sheriff’s office and state troopers) and this is just another piece to that puzzle to try to make it safe for people that are using our sidewalks and using our parks,” Pate said.

Pate said Adams stepped up and met with County Engineer David Butts and the contractor “and made it happen.”

He said the enhancement does not change the county’s obligation to maintain the road.

In the only actions taken at Lowndesboro’s July council meeting, the council approved minutes, check disbursements and voted to accept bids from two companies, Aldridge, Borden & Company and Jackson Thornton, both of Montgomery, for certified public accountant services.