Central Asphalt of Vicksburg will do the city’s erosion control project on Sherman Avenue.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen Friday authorized Mayor George Flaggs Jr. to sign a contract with Central to do the work. The project is seen as a remedy for backwater flooding in the Kings community caused by runoff from land on the east side of North Washington Street.

“I’m ready (for the project to start),” said North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield, who represents the area. “In my opinion, if we had started five years ago, I would have been ready.

“It’s a project I really believe is going to do a lot of good as far as the flow of water that’s coming off those hills and inundating North Washington with mud, rock and debris that comes off those hills. That’s what this project is supposed to do, and if it’s done correctly, I think it will make a tremendous difference to that entire area.”

Central’s bid of $127,503.75 was the lowest of four bids on the project and about $517,507 less than the $645,010 initial estimate from the Natural Resources Conservation Service estimate.

The NRCS estimate involved driving metal sheets into the ground and backfilling with dirt. Stantec, the city’s project engineer recommend using riprap, a loose stone used to line the banks of the drainage areas to prevent erosion, which reduced the project cost.

NRCS approved a $495,008 grant for the work based on the $600,000 estimate, but city officials believe only part of the grant will be used for the project, adding the city will have to contribute to the project cost.

Flaggs said he will ask NRCS officials if the remaining grant funds can be transferred to another project.

“The grant was for more than the contract cost; I just need to know (if it can be transferred),” he said. “We’ve got plenty of work in Kings.”

Mayfield said he had “a couple of projects in Kings that are ready right now.”

Flaggs asked city attorney Nancy Thomas to examine whether the remaining funds can be used on other projects.”