PANAMA CITY — Residents along busy Cherry Street soon will be seeing upgrades to their growing area.

City commissioners on Tuesday approved an almost $5.8 million construction contract to make major improvements along the road.

The improvements will include repairs to the sewer and water systems, widened sidewalks, new lighting and more greenery. Work is expected to start in the next two to three months.

Previous report on the project:Cherry Street upgrades pick up momentum, complaints

New pipes, road repairs and more:$240M in Panama City infrastructure projects in the works

The Cherry Street Improvements Phase 1 contract was awarded to Royal American Construction. It will be funded by a mix of State Revolving Fund and infrastructure surtax dollars. 

Commissioner Jenna Flint Haligas said the project will improve the overall quality of life and health of the city, starting with a new multi-use pathway connecting the St. Andrews Marina with the Downtown Marina.

"It may look like one street project, but it's neat to think that the bigger picture is the multi-use path that's going to be down Cherry Street will connect to Beach Drive, which is in the Cove," Haligas said.

Before Hurricane Michael, Cherry Street's infrastructure was deemed among the worst in Panama City, according to Haligas. 

"All of it is aged and decaying ... there's a force main going through there, so it feeds a lot of residential homes," Haligas said. "Now that's what it looked like before the storm, and, of course, all the wear and tear after the storm ... just made it worse."

About six months after Hurricane Michael in 2018, city officials started the project with a visioning process with residents to gather feedback.

Haligas said thanks to the input of residents, they have added to the project. 

"Probably in the past, it would have been just an infrastructure project of water and sewer, maybe with no intention to replanting trees or sidewalks or multi-use path or the lighting," Haligas said. "All those things ... came from the visioning process from our people."

Haligas said city workers will be working around existing oak trees as they plant new greenery along Cherry Street.

She said other areas, including Millville, will get similar treatment.

"It will be the same thing ... we will be putting together what we call 'smart streets,' based on our citizens' vision and quality of life," Haligas said.