NATCHEZ &045;&045; Ruthie Lee Hawkins, now 85, has lived on Minor Street ever since she can remember, ever since she walked all the way to Brumfield School on that and other gravel roads.

But on Tuesday, she cut the ribbon on a project that will modernize the now long-paved street beyond anything it’s ever known.

Surrounded by city officials and other dignitaries who stood, gold-plated shovels in hand, at the ceremonial &uot;groundbreaking&uot;, Hawkins shook her head, a smile on her face.

&uot;It’s just … wonderful,&uot; Hawkins said. &uot;I remember when we didn’t even have lights on this street. Just lanterns. Now this.&uot;

At a ceremony held at Greater Macedonia Baptist Church, in the heart of the neighborhood known as Minorville, city officials said it’s taken more than 10 years to break ground on the project, which should take one year to finish.

Ward 4 Alderman Theodore &uot;Bubber&uot; West, whose ward includes much of the neighborhood, said Minor Street was mislabeled as &uot;the worst area in town. … But within probably a year, it will be the best street in town.&uot;

As part of the project, crews from Camo Construction will widen the street to 24 feet and add a sidewalk and a parking area along one side of the street.

Curbs and gutters and storm drains will be added to help siphon rainwater to underground pipes, alleviating drainage problems and erosion.

Since part of yards fronting the street will be taken for the project, retaining walls will be built along the street to further prevent erosion.

The project is being done with $900,000 made up of 80 percent in Federal Aid Urban funds with a 20 percent city match. FAU routes are arterial roads the city gets federal money to repair.

Alderman West said several public officials all had a hand over the years in getting the project to its actual start.

Alderman Rickey Gray, whose Ward 2 also includes some of the neighborhood and who has family members and friends living there, joked that he’s relatively new to city government, &uot;but I’m glad the Lord waited ’til I was aboard&uot; to finish it.

&uot;I can’t wait to see this finished,&uot; Gray said.

For his part, Mayor Phillip West said he gives Alderman West much credit for pushing so long for the funding to make it happen.

&uot;The ones to benefit will be citizens throughout Natchez,&uot; he said. &uot;I look forward to traveling down this street in the future. … We have a long way to go, but we’ve also come a long way.&uot;

Ruth Washington, a resident of adjacent Henderson Street, agreed &045;&045; and said residents should build on the government-funded improvements with some improvements of their own.

That would include working to together the keep the area clean, she said, as well as maintaining and updating their own properties.

But for now, Augustine Hall, who’s lived on Minor Street for 40 years, said it is a good feeling to see the Minor Street project take shape.

&uot;I just hope I live to see this&uot; finished, Hall said.