Progress on the Natchez Trails project is moving along one step at a time, City Engineer David Gardner said.

Construction on first phase of the project began in July, but work was happening behind the scenes before that, Gardner said.

Phase 1 of the Natchez Trails project includes 5.6 miles of walking trails along Broadway, High, Rankin, Washington and Martin Luther King Jr. streets.

Interpretive signs outlining the history of the city will be placed along the route.

The first phase of the project is funded through $2.9 million in government earmarks, grants and private contribution.

Work to begin a walking trail project in Natchez began in 2005, with fundraising taking longer than anticipated.

“A lot of work that the public doesn’t normally see has been happening,” he said. “The contractor has been getting color approvals for benches, trash receptacles and different architectural features.”

With most of those approvals out of the way, physical work is moving along at a good pace, Gardner said. The contractor has placed electrical conduits to support the lighting of the trail along the bluff.

“Our goal is to get most of the concrete work done before balloon race weekend because we know a lot of people will be in that area then,” Gardner said. “Work now is focused on pouring the foundation of the brick plaza at the head of the trails project.”

Gardner anticipates sidewalk work along the Mississippi River bluff will consume the majority of the work, but none of that has started yet.

The 440-day contract began in April; therefore, the anticipated completion date for phase 1 of the trails project is June 2011, Gardner said.

Once the first phase is complete, Gardner said work on phase 2 will begin soon after.

Planning work for phase 2 is being done by the city engineering project to incorporate public comments and also to save money and time, Gardner said.