What started as a call for two stop signs on North Hixville Road turned into a major update at the intersection in front of the First Church of Hixville.

On Dec. 12, residents and town officials gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the historic Baptist church. The project began with a conversation between North Dartmouth residents and the Department of Public Works in the church’s basement and has been ongoing throughout the past year.

The main goal was to add two stop signs to North Hixville Road to make the intersection near the church a four-way stop. From there, the project evolved to include new sidewalks, crosswalks and repaved roads. The Department of Public Works also brought municipal water to the area. The project finished in October.

Bill Chandler, the owner of the Hixville General Store who’s often referred to as the “mayor of Hixville,” said he was ecstatic to see the renovations.

“There used to only be a stop sign on Old Fall River Road,” said Chandler. “We’ve seen accidents here. Sometimes they’ll just go into the stone wall of the church.”

The speed limit in the area is 30 miles per hour.

“When the surveyors were down here, the thing that jumped out at them was that most folks didn’t take their foot off the gas pedal as they were coming down [North] Hixville Road,” said Director of Public Works David Hickox.

He said the surveyors also noted that the roadways and sidewalks along the intersection had fallen into disrepair. Along the two roads, there is roughly 1,000 feet of new sidewalk. The project, which was handled by Fall River-based LAL Construction Co., cost about $170,000.

The new sidewalks were constructed with a technique that involves power washing off the top layer of concrete to expose stones. Hickox said this is different from most concrete in which the top layer is mostly cement. The process results in a textured look.

“This is the second project where we’ve used this type of material,” said Hickox. “We used it on Elm Street three years ago. The residents thought it was a step up from standard concrete. As a result, we’re trying to use this type of material in the villages and some of the older areas of town because it blends in better.”

The outer edge of the sidewalk is accented with five rows of red brick fastened in place with concrete to prevent the bricks from shifting over time.

At the last Pathways Committee meeting in October, civil engineer Alan Heureux had discussed proposed plans for sidewalks in Padanaram that would be made in a similar style.

Select Board member Stanley Mickelson said that, even though up and coming projects in South Dartmouth receive a lot of attention, this project highlighted the commitment town officials have to addressing the needs of residents all over town.

“Small projects are important, too,” said Hickox.

He said that, because the church is largely the focal point of Hixville, it creates a better community atmosphere, allowing people to safely park and cross the street for Sunday services.

“I’ve lived here all my life, and this place has never looked more beautiful,” said Select Board member Kelli Martin Taglianetti.