Martin Luther King Drive Streetscape - Shug to Donahue

This project is part of the City’s vision to further enhance the gateways into Auburn by upgrading streetscapes. The work will include new street infrastructure such as islands, turn lanes, and other enhancements along with an improved pedestrian path and lighting from North Donahue Drive to Shug Jordan Parkway.​ The project is part of the City of Auburn's Northwest Auburn Neighborhood Plan.

The project was completed on Apr 8, 2024 with a total capital budget of $3,160,172.31.

This project will enhance the streetscape along Martin Luther King Drive between Shug Jordan Parkway and Donahue Drive by adding 10-foot-wide multi-use path, decorative pedestrian lighting, landscaping, medians, and storm and sanitary extensions as well as installing a new water main.

This project will tie into the new Martin Luther King Drive Multi-Use Path. The Martin Luther King Drive Multi-Use Path Project consisted of the construction of a multi-use path between Webster Road and the Shug Jordan Parkway Overpass. Together, these two projects will create a 2-mile long route for the people who live along Martin Luther King Drive to connect with downtown and Auburn University.

Timeline

• Design work began in 2019.
• A public meeting was held on February 20, 2020, for review of conceptual plans for the project. Design work continued into 2021.
• An additional public meeting was held on Sept. 27, 2022, for input.
• Easements and rights-of-entry for this project are expected to be acquired in 2022.
• This is a Fiscal Year 2022 project, with construction slated to begin in 2023. The project will take 12-18 months to complete.

Budget

• Initial budget was $1.25 million to be spread over late 2019 through fall of 2021.
• Preliminary cost estimate from Foresite Group was nearly $5.1 million in February 2020.
• COVID-19 delayed numerous projects, including this project, though design work continued.
• FY2021-2022 Biennial Budget (Oct. 2020-Sept. 2022) moved construction to Fiscal Year 2025-2026 due to COVID-19.
• In the Mid-Biennium Budget process, the project moved up to Fiscal Year 2023, which begins in the fall of 2022.
• The new water main will be funded by American Rescue Plan Act funding.