Mississippi

[froggie]

One control section at a time.  MDOT has already done some of that south of Wiggins.  I distinctly remember a reconstruction project near McHenry when I was stationed at Stennis.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

One control section at a time.  MDOT has already done some of that south of Wiggins.  I distinctly remember a reconstruction project near McHenry when I was stationed at Stennis.

That's how they widened US 61 from Vicksburg to the Louisiana State Line, over the years.

[froggie]

That's how they did virtually ALL of their 4-lane network over the past 25 years...not just US 61.

[cbalducc]

One control section at a time.  MDOT has already done some of that south of Wiggins.  I distinctly remember a reconstruction project near McHenry when I was stationed at Stennis.

What is a control section?

[HemiCRZ]

One control section at a time.  MDOT has already done some of that south of Wiggins.  I distinctly remember a reconstruction project near McHenry when I was stationed at Stennis.

What is a control section?

I may be wrong on this, I'm no engineer, but essentially its a section of roadway where access control is implemented. In the case of US 49 between Jackson and Gulfport, you could start with the rural sections of the highway first and implement grade seperations and access control, removing the crossovers and such.

Overall, MDOT has been actively improving 49 ever since Vision 21. Most recently, the widening from I-20 to Florence, and the addition of a southbound shoulder through Covington and Forrest/Stone counties. These safety projects have also eliminated a lot of the median crossovers.

Largely though, even as MDOT has made improvements, they've also signalized more intersections, such as MS 42 at US 49 and several stoplights through Collins. I remember driving through Collins at one point and only having 2 or 3 lights. Now there are 5 or so.

At this point it may be more cost effective to build a new facility. I've been of the opinion that a toll road authority should come in and construct a six-lane controlled access US 49 from I-20 to I-10 parallel to the existing US 49.

[Tom958]

One control section at a time.  MDOT has already done some of that south of Wiggins.  I distinctly remember a reconstruction project near McHenry when I was stationed at Stennis.

What is a control section?

First Google result, from Texas: "Control sections provide a convenient and reliable linear referencing method for locating features along a roadway. Control sections generally do not move or change, regardless of changes to the route name or number. A control section number consists of six digits (e.g. 0115-02)."

[froggie]

One control section at a time.  MDOT has already done some of that south of Wiggins.  I distinctly remember a reconstruction project near McHenry when I was stationed at Stennis.

What is a control section?

From MnDOT's glossary:

Control Section - state highway road system segment that is divided into shorter, more manageable parts for record keeping.

I'm not sure what MDOT's equivalents would be.

[cbalducc]

Overall, MDOT has been actively improving 49 ever since Vision 21. Most recently, the widening from I-20 to Florence, and the addition of a southbound shoulder through Covington and Forrest/Stone counties. These safety projects have also eliminated a lot of the median crossovers.

Largely though, even as MDOT has made improvements, they've also signalized more intersections, such as MS 42 at US 49 and several stoplights through Collins. I remember driving through Collins at one point and only having 2 or 3 lights. Now there are 5 or so.
[/quote]

I remember when no stoplights were on Highway 49 through Collins.

[cbalducc]

I can think of at least four towns that can be bypassed by Highway 8 - Calhoun City, Derma, Vardaman, and Houston.

[formulanone]

I was looking through my photos of I-269, and there was an exit under construction for McIngvale Road. Recent GSV (November 2021) shows it as Exit 1.

But Exit 1A and 1B are for Interstate 55, and the exit east of that (Getwell Road), is using Exit 3...I wonder why they didn't just use Exit 2?

[bwana39]

Overall, MDOT has been actively improving 49 ever since Vision 21. Most recently, the widening from I-20 to Florence, and the addition of a southbound shoulder through Covington and Forrest/Stone counties. These safety projects have also eliminated a lot of the median crossovers.

Largely though, even as MDOT has made improvements, they've also signalized more intersections, such as MS 42 at US 49 and several stoplights through Collins. I remember driving through Collins at one point and only having 2 or 3 lights. Now there are 5 or so.

I remember when no stoplights were on Highway 49 through Collins.

Everyone should understand that this (US-49 from Jackson to the coast), not I-69 or I-14 or anything else that Washington might suggest, is Mississippi's first cross country priority.  There may be some projects in urban areas that are on a similar or higher priority, but for rural roads, this one will be first until it is finished.

[MoiraPrime]

Anyone think the MS 601/I 310 plan will get any boost from being declared a High Priority Corridor? I've skimmed through a PDF of an old proposal, and MDOT seems to think one of the best plans for  the MS 601 project is a freeway all the way to the US 49 bypass of Wiggins.

[The Ghostbuster]

No. I believe the Interstate 310/MS 601 freeway project is completely dead. Given that Mississippi seems to have as much trouble funding road projects as Connecticut does, Gulfport will likely have to make do without an Interstate 310 within their city's limits.

[MoiraPrime]

No. I believe the Interstate 310/MS 601 freeway project is completely dead. Given that Mississippi seems to have as much trouble funding road projects as Connecticut does, Gulfport will likely have to make do without an Interstate 310 within their city's limits.

Huh? Mississippi is actually suspiciously good at funding road projects if anything. Almost every single trunk road in Mississippi (except US 98 between McComb and US 84) has been widened to 4 lanes.

I'll concede the I-310 project isn't the only one to be stuck in limbo. The Greenville US 82 bypass has met a similar fate, but construction has finally resumed on it. MDOT is also working on connecting MS 25 to MS 76, completing another section of Corridor V.

The main roadblocks to I-310 right now seem to be the City of Gulfport and the Gulfport Port Authority's opposition to it. This archive/summary of multiple articles seems to imply that.
http://www.ajfroggie.com/roads/trip-reports/20060515.htm

The city of Gulfport has very good reasons being opposed to an elevated freeway right through town. Really the most important thing would be MS 601 north of I-10. The MS coast needs a hurricane evacuation route that can be contraflowed.

[The Ghostbuster]

I apologize for my assumption about Mississippi. Having never been to the state, I'll be more careful with my assumptions in the future. In the meantime, I still believe Interstate 310 in Gulfport is dead. I heard that one major concern about constructing an elevated 310 in the city, was the fear that the neighborhoods that 310 would deteriorate in a similar fashion to the way Biloxi's did when Interstate 110 was built: https://www.interstate-guide.com/i-310-ms/#north_end.

[Stephane Dumas]

No. I believe the Interstate 310/MS 601 freeway project is completely dead. Given that Mississippi seems to have as much trouble funding road projects as Connecticut does, Gulfport will likely have to make do without an Interstate 310 within their city's limits.

Huh? Mississippi is actually suspiciously good at funding road projects if anything. Almost every single trunk road in Mississippi (except US 98 between McComb and US 84) has been widened to 4 lanes.

I'll concede the I-310 project isn't the only one to be stuck in limbo. The Greenville US 82 bypass has met a similar fate, but construction has finally resumed on it. MDOT is also working on connecting MS 25 to MS 76, completing another section of Corridor V.

The main roadblocks to I-310 right now seem to be the City of Gulfport and the Gulfport Port Authority's opposition to it. This archive/summary of multiple articles seems to imply that.
http://www.ajfroggie.com/roads/trip-reports/20060515.htm

The city of Gulfport has very good reasons being opposed to an elevated freeway right through town. Really the most important thing would be MS 601 north of I-10. The MS coast needs a hurricane evacuation route that can be contraflowed.

I guess I-755/Airport Parkway is also in limbo and put on the ice as well? https://www.interstate-guide.com/i-755-ms/

[kenarmy]

No. I believe the Interstate 310/MS 601 freeway project is completely dead. Given that Mississippi seems to have as much trouble funding road projects as Connecticut does, Gulfport will likely have to make do without an Interstate 310 within their city's limits.

Huh? Mississippi is actually suspiciously good at funding road projects if anything. Almost every single trunk road in Mississippi (except US 98 between McComb and US 84) has been widened to 4 lanes.

I'll concede the I-310 project isn't the only one to be stuck in limbo. The Greenville US 82 bypass has met a similar fate, but construction has finally resumed on it. MDOT is also working on connecting MS 25 to MS 76, completing another section of Corridor V.

The main roadblocks to I-310 right now seem to be the City of Gulfport and the Gulfport Port Authority's opposition to it. This archive/summary of multiple articles seems to imply that.
http://www.ajfroggie.com/roads/trip-reports/20060515.htm

The city of Gulfport has very good reasons being opposed to an elevated freeway right through town. Really the most important thing would be MS 601 north of I-10. The MS coast needs a hurricane evacuation route that can be contraflowed.

I guess I-755/Airport Parkway is also in limbo and put on the ice as well? https://www.interstate-guide.com/i-755-ms/

As a local, I can say this will probably never happen. In fact, people outside the roadgeek community probably don't even know about this proposal.

[cbalducc]

I don't think an I-755 is necessary.  The Jackson Airport is easily accessible from downtown Jackson.

[The Ghostbuster]

So, Highway 755 in Mississippi is as dead as Missouri's Highway 755? I think the unbuilt Airport Parkway should have been numbered Interstate 155, not Interstate 755.

[Georgia]

Yea, the airport parkway never made a lick of sense.  Jackson-Evers isnt exactly booming and the road to it is fine as is especially after the re-work of the network to the SW of the airport under a decade ago. 

[MoiraPrime]

I will mention I did find this interesting PDF from 2008:



With this corridor being declared a high priority corridor in the recent infrastructure bill, the cobwebs have a chance of being dusted off for this...

[cbalducc]

I will mention I did find this interesting PDF from 2008:



With this corridor being declared a high priority corridor in the recent infrastructure bill, the cobwebs have a chance of being dusted off for this...

I think the improved Highway 67 took considerable traffic off of Highway 49 south of Saucier.  But from Saucier north, serious work needs to be done on 49.  I don't know if rebuilding it to Interstate standards is feasible, though.

[Stephane Dumas]

So, Highway 755 in Mississippi is as dead as Missouri's Highway 755? I think the unbuilt Airport Parkway should have been numbered Interstate 155, not Interstate 755.

I guess I-755 might be jinxed and someone might put a curse on any interstate proposal numbered I-755.  The only positive point besides the airport is to skip some traffic lights on MS-25.

[MoiraPrime]

I'm not sure where I saw it, but at one point I found a PDF about a proposed US 98 bypass of West Hattiesburg, starting at the current trumpet interchange with I-59. The issues it mentioned though was that overall the project was kinda paradoxical. It wanted to both open more land to development, while at the same time being a freeway bypass of the current US 98 bottleneck.

Heck, if you look at the current trumpet, you can even see where they graded the north side of the interchange for the eventual addition of a cloverleaf loop.

[froggie]

I've seen the as-built plans at MDOT for the 59/98 interchange that show it was designed to eventually become a 7-ramp par-clo....IIRC, EB 98 to NB 59 was to be an at-grade left turn.