The Howard County courthouse is getting all new sidewalks. Schmidt Farms Construction, from Glasgow, began pouring new cement last week and should be finished in early October.

The new sidewalks will be wider. The cement will also be two inches thicker and reinforced with steel rebar to avoid damage when large equipment is deployed on the courthouse lawn.

In addition, a new 24-square-foot pad was poured on the southeast corner where a new tree was planted that will one day become the Magic Tree during the Christmas holiday. The redeveloped section also features new handicapped access.

Additional work will include replacing the deteriorating brick retaining wall near the flagpole and veterans’ memorial on the south side of the lawn. The new concrete wall will have the same aesthetic as the historic stone wall around the grounds. The stairs on the east and west sides will also be widened along with the sidewalks to eight feet.

The project costs about $66,000 and will be paid for by the county’s ARPA funds.