The Town of Braxton is looking better — and smoother — than it has in decades, thanks to a major paving project that has transformed nearly every street in town.
Mayor Michael Arinder said the work marks a milestone for the community, with assistance and funding support from Representative Price Wallace and State Senator Andy Berry.
“We got almost all of our streets paved,” Mayor Arinder said proudly. “We got all of Cherry Street, which is right over here behind the community center, all of Magnolia Street from this end all the way around the back end of town. That road hadn’t seen paving in 50, almost 60 years, and it was down to nothing but road bed and rock.”
In total, crews resurfaced Magnolia, Cherry, Willow, Oak, M.A. Neely, and Memorial streets — leaving only a few short stretches such as Pine and the small sections across the railroad tracks for future work. The project was completed by AdCamp, a contractor selected through a state bidding process overseen by Clearpoint Engineering of Hattiesburg.
According to Arinder, the paving was the result of months of coordination and teamwork between town officials and state leaders. “The first thing we did was reach out to the state for some help with funding, and these two right here — Representative Wallace and Senator Berry — were critical in that,” Arinder said. “Once the funding was secured, the engineers and contractors moved quickly, and within a week, the paving was complete. These roads are smooth enough you can skate on them now.”
Representative Wallace said helping small towns like Braxton is a core part of his work in the Legislature.
“You know, that’s what me and Senator Berry are elected for — to represent our constituents and our towns when they need help,” Wallace said. “When Mayor Arinder reached out about funding for these roads, we went to work putting in for appropriations. I’m just extremely happy we were able to do this for our constituents. It shows we’re here for the community.”
Senator Berry echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the importance of making sure every community in his district gets its turn for needed upgrades.
“Mayor Arinder and members of the community contacted us seeking help. They didn’t have the funds to do it, so we put in for appropriations,” Berry said. “We try to spread it around among our district and among the different cities. It was Braxton’s turn this time, and we were glad to help. We hope to continue assisting other municipalities in the county going forward.”
While the paving marks a major step forward, Mayor Arinder said the town is already looking ahead to the next priority: water system improvements. One of Braxton’s main wells, he said, is nearly two decades old and recently tested at about half capacity.
With support from Wallace and Berry, the town secured additional funding to replace the aging pump and column and continue upgrades to the system.
“In the last four years, we’ve been able to get our pressure vessel up, develop a disinfection plan for the main tank, bring this well back online, andfix several sizable leaks around town,” Arinder said. “Now, with the new pump replacement coming, we’re setting Braxton up for years of reliable service.”
From smoother streets to stronger water infrastructure, the Mayor said it all comes down to teamwork and community pride.
Mayor Arinder expressed his thankfulness to have people at the state level who listen and help small towns.
