Mississippi

[Georgia]

Another inconsistency that I would appreciate if someone could field check:  are MS 4 and MS 7 signed along the northern Holly Springs bypass route the county built about a decade ago?  GMSV is inconsistent and in many cases not very recent.  And if the bypass is indeed signed as 4/7, have MS 4/MS 7 shields been removed through town?

I will check it out for you next Monday on my drive to Memphis

[Georgia]

Another inconsistency that I would appreciate if someone could field check:  are MS 4 and MS 7 signed along the northern Holly Springs bypass route the county built about a decade ago?  GMSV is inconsistent and in many cases not very recent.  And if the bypass is indeed signed as 4/7, have MS 4/MS 7 shields been removed through town?

Checked it out today.  The only sign of either state route is a section of 4 detoured over the bypass.

The detour for 4 is signed on the bypass from MS 7 to Salem Road(where you turn left to stay on westbound 4).  4 is under construction over a railroad bridge east of downtown (couldnt get close but would assume they are building a new bridge).  7 never uses the bypass, it just cuts across it at a 4 way stop intersection.  4 and 7 shields are still prevalent through town as one would expect as guide signs. 

edit: article about the bridge replacement https://www.southreporter.com/news/bridge-project-starting-soon

[cbalducc]

MDOT has a two month advertisement for the US 82 Greenville bypass between MS 1 and Leland. It will be a 70 mph freeway.

Question I have is about the base and pave for the part between the Mississippi River bridge and MS 1. When will that happen?

I don't know.  I don't understand why Highway 454 between Highway 1 and the bridge was not used as a right of way for the new Highway 82.

[rel4]

On bigger projects like a 4 lane conversion, MDOT historically would bid the grading, drainage, and bridges as one project. As that neared completion, then they would bid the paving work. MS 477/West Rankin Pkwy was built this way; the paving contract is now underway. For US 82, I suspect MDOT will bid paving the full freeway and tying both ends back to existing US 82 at one time toward the end of the project advertising now.

If US 82 will be a 70 mph freeway with full access control, then it is better to buy farmland without needing to consider property access instead of having to construct Frontage Roads to access property on either side of MS 454.

MDOT has a two month advertisement for the US 82 Greenville bypass between MS 1 and Leland. It will be a 70 mph freeway.

Question I have is about the base and pave for the part between the Mississippi River bridge and MS 1. When will that happen?

I don't know.  I don't understand why Highway 454 between Highway 1 and the bridge was not used as a right of way for the new Highway 82.

[cbalducc]

When Highway 49 is widened south of Jackson between Richland and Florence, how many lanes will it have?

[froggie]

3 each way

[cbalducc]

3 each way

It's a shame they had to cut down those crepe myrtles.  But I guess when that Highway was initially landscaped no one thought urbanization would go that way.
I also thought there would be eight lanes after widening.

[cbalducc]

There needs to be a new 49/59 interchange in Hattiesburg.

[HemiCRZ]

There needs to be a new 49/59 interchange in Hattiesburg.

Absolutely agreed. There seems to be an accident or heavy congestion there every single day. The MS 42/EGP interchange could have been postponed in favor of using those funds to rebuild the US 49/I-59 interchange. Don't get me started about how overly massive the EGP/59 interchange is, for no reason.

Also, can we talk about I-14? The infrastructure package authorized the corridor and officially designated it. In Mississippi, the proposed route would be US 84 from Natchez to Laurel, then a concurrency with I-59 north to I-20 to form a I-20/59/14 concurrrency to the Alabama border.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/local-transportation-leaders-share-impact-federal-infrastructure-bill-will-have-for-i-14-i-214-projects/ar-AAQtfIU?ocid=BingNewsSearch
https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2021/11/08/local-leaders-elated-at-passage-of-1-trillion-infrastructure-bill-that-includes-i-14/

[Rothman]

I have yet to see an article that states how much money is attached to I-14.  If it is to come out of existing apportionments rather than an increase or through some separate additional program, it could be a very long time before any design is performed on new segments, let alone construction.

[golden eagle]

There needs to be a new 49/59 interchange in Hattiesburg.

Absolutely agreed. There seems to be an accident or heavy congestion there every single day. The MS 42/EGP interchange could have been postponed in favor of using those funds to rebuild the US 49/I-59 interchange. Don't get me started about how overly massive the EGP/59 interchange

The main issue I have is the intersection with Classic Drive is too close to the 49/59 interchange. The problem is there are businesses and apartments and access can't be cut off.

[cbalducc]

There needs to be a new 49/59 interchange in Hattiesburg.

Absolutely agreed. There seems to be an accident or heavy congestion there every single day. The MS 42/EGP interchange could have been postponed in favor of using those funds to rebuild the US 49/I-59 interchange. Don't get me started about how overly massive the EGP/59 interchange

The main issue I have is the intersection with Classic Drive is too close to the 49/59 interchange. The problem is there are businesses and apartments and access can't be cut off.

All of that will have to be relocated if a new interchange is planned.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

There needs to be a new 49/59 interchange in Hattiesburg.

Absolutely agreed. There seems to be an accident or heavy congestion there every single day. The MS 42/EGP interchange could have been postponed in favor of using those funds to rebuild the US 49/I-59 interchange. Don't get me started about how overly massive the EGP/59 interchange

The main issue I have is the intersection with Classic Drive is too close to the 49/59 interchange. The problem is there are businesses and apartments and access can't be cut off.

All of that will have to be relocated if a new interchange is planned.

And that requires money people can't or won't spend.

[cbalducc]

There is a four-lane Highway 27 in the works between Vicksburg and Crystal Springs.  I didn't think there was enough traffic to warrant it, but maybe the actual purpose is to provide a quicker route between Vicksburg and New Orleans without going through Jackson.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

There is a four-lane Highway 27 in the works between Vicksburg and Crystal Springs.  I didn't think there was enough traffic to warrant it, but maybe the actual purpose is to provide a quicker route between Vicksburg and New Orleans without going through Jackson.

They made Ms 8 four lanes between Cleveland & Ruleville, so why not for Ms 27.

[froggie]

^ Because MS 8 has noticeably higher traffic volumes than MS 27.  8 averages between 6-7K between Cleveland and Ruleville, while much of MS 27 is below 4K and none of it gets above 5K except right within Vicksburg.

[cbalducc]

I think improving Highway 49 from Jackson to Gulfport should be the most important project.  If the state gets a big chunk of money from Uncle Sam, they should start planning on it.
  We should have raised our gas tax years ago.  This lottery is providing peanuts for the roads. 
Think of the money squandered on building an I-10 spur to the Port of Gulfport. Someone got rich off that scheme.

[Tom958]

I think improving Highway 49 from Jackson to Gulfport should be the most important project.  If the state gets a big chunk of money from Uncle Sam, they should start planning on it.

Do you have any specific ideas as to what should be done? I ask because someone I spoke with in a Facebook group said that southbound roadway was excessively hilly in places since it dates from the 1930s or earlier.

[kenarmy]

I think improving Highway 49 from Jackson to Gulfport should be the most important project.  If the state gets a big chunk of money from Uncle Sam, they should start planning on it.

Do you have any specific ideas as to what should be done? I ask because someone I spoke with in a Facebook group said that southbound roadway was excessively hilly in places since it dates from the 1930s or earlier.

Yes it is very hilly. Usually there isn't a lot of traffic.. but in Rankin County and near Hattiesburg it's a MESS.

[cbalducc]

I think improving Highway 49 from Jackson to Gulfport should be the most important project.  If the state gets a big chunk of money from Uncle Sam, they should start planning on it.

Do you have any specific ideas as to what should be done? I ask because someone I spoke with in a Facebook group said that southbound roadway was excessively hilly in places since it dates from the 1930s or earlier.

The southbound lanes need to be made level with the northbound lanes.  Also, new pavement and bridges.  And a new interchange with I-59 at Hattiesburg.
I don't know why the lanes weren't made level when the four-landing was done.

[Tom958]

I don't know why the lanes weren't made level when the four-laning was done.

Because the old roadway had been judged adequate for two-way traffic and was therefore obviously adequate for one-way traffic. 

Now, of course, traffic is heavier and standards have changed, along with driver expectation. Fortunately, the 100-foot median should make it relatively easy to fix the profile deficiencies.

[Georgia]

Money and time are the reasons the lanes werent leveled likely, those are usually the 2 primary reasons.

[bwana39]

I have yet to see an article that states how much money is attached to I-14.  If it is to come out of existing apportionments rather than an increase or through some separate additional program, it could be a very long time before any design is performed on new segments, let alone construction.

I-14 doesn't seem to be on any state's radar. Not even Texas or Georgia the two states whose Senators were the champions of it (Warnock & Cruz). I think back in the days of earmarks, there might have been some funds sent that way. In today's climate where the states actually control the funds they are allotted, Interstate 14 beyond Texas for sure and most likely beyond the current incarnation are likely just what they are; items on a consent agenda. Non-binding suggestions made by local Senators and rubber stamped by the entire Senate. Authorizing it is not a big step forward. I can authorize my wife to spend millions of dollars on a new purse and if the money is there she might choose to spend it on that. She might choose to spend it on a different want or need.  More likely (and absolutely the case for us,) is we certainly don't have the money PERIOD.

[cbalducc]

I don't see I-69 being completed across the Mississippi Delta.  With our poor economy and declining population, it won't draw new residents here.  And I don't know how much longer the casinos in Tunica County will last. 

[cbalducc]

I don't know why the lanes weren't made level when the four-laning was done.

Because the old roadway had been judged adequate for two-way traffic and was therefore obviously adequate for one-way traffic. 

Now, of course, traffic is heavier and standards have changed, along with driver expectation. Fortunately, the 100-foot median should make it relatively easy to fix the profile deficiencies.

If you know anything about highway engineering and construction, how would you upgrade 49.  One county at a time?