HERNANDO, MS (abc24.com) - More people are moving to Hernando, Mississippi, forcing the town to make changes to keep up with its booming population.
"It's picked up a little bit, yes," says Leon Warren, a Hernando resident.
Warren has lived right off Hernando's McIngvale Road the last five years.
"I'd say it's one of the main roads," he tells abc24.com.
Warren's seen traffic on it grow. Soon he'll see one more change: the town's installing a traffic light at the intersection of McIngvale and Byhalia Roads.
"That's a really busy intersection," says Mayor Chip Johnson.
Right now there's a 4 way stop at the crossroads. Johnson says it handles the traffic flow, but he's looking further down the road.
This new light is part of a plan for the town's future. About 25 people are moving to Hernando each month, and that means 25 more cars on the roads.
"I know coming through here in the mornings it can get backed up on occasion," says Cathy Massey. "It's not every day, but I think the light's a great idea."
There are several neighborhoods, two banks, a church and two schools nearby. Johnson wants Hernando's 14,000 residents to be able to walk to and from all of them. It's why the town's also adding two miles of extra wide sidewalks along McIngvale.
Mayor Johnson said the sidewalks would also have "pedestrian countdown crosswalks so when you're walking across the street it will tell you how many seconds you have to get across."
"I just hope the costs don't run taxes up," says Warren.
There's good news for Warren on that. The entire project is paid for through grant money from the federal government.
"The good news is it's money that's coming from somewhere else," Johnson tells abc24.com. "Of course it's still our tax money, but we think that since it was out there we should go out there and get it."
Johnson says it's taken almost three years for the city to process the paperwork required to receive that money. The project will cost about $300,000.
Construction should start the first week of January, and be completed by June.
