Construction begins on South Greenville, MS freeway

[Henry]

Nope...it's more associated with the new US 82 bridge across the Mississippi River.

This is taken from the Greenville Bypass. 82/278 currently swing around to connect to their older alignment that crossed the old bridge.

I have never seen this type of bridge before! Is there a name for it?

[US71]

Nope...it's more associated with the new US 82 bridge across the Mississippi River.

This is taken from the Greenville Bypass. 82/278 currently swing around to connect to their older alignment that crossed the old bridge.

I have never seen this type of bridge before! Is there a name for it?

It's what they call a "cable stayed bridge". If there's a fancier term, I'm not aware of it

[Alps]

Yeah, the only thing that makes it appear unusual is having cable stays on both sides of the bridge, rather than only down the middle.

[msunat97]

I had an email exchange with Kevin Magee, MDOT District Engineer about the progress of this project.  See below...

The first phase of the Hwy 82 Bypass construction is almost complete.  This phase cost $32.5 million and included all the earthwork, bridges, and drainage structures for the section beginning at the new MS River Bridge to SR 1.  Our contractor is currently doing final cleanup, grass mowing, etc. in order to complete the project.

The next phase (phase 2)  will include the earthwork, bridges, and drainage structures from SR 1 to Leland.   It is projected to cost $52 million.  Unfortunately, budget shortfalls and other economic factors have made it difficult to predict when we will be able to begin the next phase. 

After phase 2 is complete, we will then pave the entire bypass project at a projected cost of $75 million.

The project remains at the top of my priority list and I look forward to getting the next phase underway as quickly as our budget constraints allow.

If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me.

Thanks,

J. Kevin Magee, P.E.

District Engineer

MDOT District III, Yazoo City

(662) 746-2513

I asked him a few follow-up questions about the timing of the funding for Phase 2 & if they would pave Phase 1 if no funding was availble for Phase 2.  I'll post his answers when I receive them.

[msunat97]

Replies from the district engineer...

#1 — Phase 2 of the Bypass is "shovel ready" ... meaning that all plans are complete, all the necessary rights of way have been acquired, and we have already relocated the affected utilities.  No further approvals are needed.  The one and only issue is funding.  It is still in line for funding... it's just that the line isn't moving nearly fast as we would like.  Rising construction costs along with stagnant/decreasing revenues from fuel taxes leave MDOT will far less "buying power"  than we have enjoyed in past years.  Maintenance activities are costing a lot more as well so as more and more money is diverted to take care of what we have already built, it leaves less and less for new construction.  Honestly, I can't forecast when the next phase will be built, but we are in good shape should some "one time money"  (stimulus money, etc.) come along.  Otherwise, we will have to wait until economic conditions improve.

#2 — It would cost roughly $33 million to pave the first section.  If I could get that amount of money, I would be interested in letting another section of the next phase.  Maybe not the whole thing, but whatever we could afford.  The Greenville bypass is an interstate type facility with very limited access.  I'm afraid it would not be very useful until we can get the whole thing opened at one time.

[Grzrd]

In this September 10 guest column, Dick Hall, transportation commissioner of the Central District for the state of Mississippi, refers to this project as having been "abandoned":

The future of construction of new and badly needed highways and bridges is even bleaker. There could be no better example than the abandoned Highway 82 Bypass Project. There has already been over $57 million spent on this project, but we don't have the $135 million needed to finish it.

Mississippi needs to find a way to identify a more plentiful funding source.

[Alex]

In this September 10 guest column, Dick Hall, transportation commissioner of the Central District for the state of Mississippi, refers to this project as having been "abandoned":

The future of construction of new and badly needed highways and bridges is even bleaker. There could be no better example than the abandoned Highway 82 Bypass Project. There has already been over $57 million spent on this project, but we don't have the $135 million needed to finish it.

Mississippi needs to find a way to identify a more plentiful funding source.

Sounds like ALDOT with the U.S. 98 bypass of Semmes in Mobile County. They made headway then a lawsuit halted work and now they have no funds to complete it.

[froggie]

Minus the lawsuit (no lawsuit against the Greenville bypass), that would be an appropriate analogy.

[lordsutch]

I'm sensing another Alabama Corridor X situation in the making.

One possible workaround would be for Washington County to do a HELP Bond issue to complete the work (like DeSoto is doing for I-269), but Washington County doesn't have near the tax base that DeSoto does to get the bonds. Maybe they can get the legislature to divert some casino money...

[NE2]

Is Corridor V also stalled northeast of Fulton?

[lordsutch]

Is Corridor V also stalled northeast of Fulton?

AFAIK it's a low priority but once the Pontotoc-Tupelo section of Corridor V is done next year, it will be the only segment to complete, since the Red Bay bypass to MS 23 is now open. The Toyota plant may produce enough impetus to get it done, although a project that might be perceived to help suppliers locate in Alabama probably will be a tougher sell.

To my mind the open question is to what extent MDOT's plans to widen MS 25 coincide with Corridor V; if there's no overlap (i.e. an online widening of MS 25, which is pretty curvy between Corridor V and Tishomingo County), it's less likely to happen than if MDOT plans to use a lengthy chunk of Corridor V and then strike off on new terrain north toward Belmont near MS 23. For now though MDOT's focus seems to be on MS 25 between US 45 and US 78, rather than the north-of-78 section.

[codyg1985]

Is Corridor V also stalled northeast of Fulton?

AFAIK it's a low priority but once the Pontotoc-Tupelo section of Corridor V is done next year, it will be the only segment to complete, since the Red Bay bypass to MS 23 is now open. The Toyota plant may produce enough impetus to get it done, although a project that might be perceived to help suppliers locate in Alabama probably will be a tougher sell.

The Toyota engine plant in Huntsville, AL supplies engines to the Toyota plant in Sherman, MS, so there could be a push from that end to get it finished, but that probably wouldn't amount to a lot of traffic.

To my mind the open question is to what extent MDOT's plans to widen MS 25 coincide with Corridor V; if there's no overlap (i.e. an online widening of MS 25, which is pretty curvy between Corridor V and Tishomingo County), it's less likely to happen than if MDOT plans to use a lengthy chunk of Corridor V and then strike off on new terrain north toward Belmont near MS 23. For now though MDOT's focus seems to be on MS 25 between US 45 and US 78, rather than the north-of-78 section.

I am wondering whether MS 76/Corridor V will intersect with the end of the MS 25 four-lane at a T-intersection or if the four lane will just continue straight onto Corridor V with MS 25 traffic having to turn off of or onto Corridor V?

[froggie]

I am wondering whether MS 76/Corridor V will intersect with the end of the MS 25 four-lane at a T-intersection or if the four lane will just continue straight onto Corridor V with MS 25 traffic having to turn off of or onto Corridor V?

Haven't seen nor heard of plans, but given precedent elsewhere in the state, my guess would be the latter.

[berberry]

In this September 10 guest column, Dick Hall, transportation commissioner of the Central District for the state of Mississippi, refers to this project as having been "abandoned":

The future of construction of new and badly needed highways and bridges is even bleaker. There could be no better example than the abandoned Highway 82 Bypass Project. There has already been over $57 million spent on this project, but we don't have the $135 million needed to finish it.

Mississippi needs to find a way to identify a more plentiful funding source.

That isn't likely, given that we've put a bunch of teabaggers in charge of the state!

[lordsutch]

I am wondering whether MS 76/Corridor V will intersect with the end of the MS 25 four-lane at a T-intersection or if the four lane will just continue straight onto Corridor V with MS 25 traffic having to turn off of or onto Corridor V?

Based on the configuration of the Old Highway 25 and MS 25 intersection, it could end up being a four-way intersection; you can sorta-kinda see grading for an eastward extension.  Again I think it will depend on what MDOT decides to do with the northern section of MS 25; there is precedent for new terrain projects as part of the four-lane program (not just APD corridors), most notably US 49W north of Yazoo City.

[NE2]

If you zoom in enough to see property lines, there's a pretty wide road ROW at that grading. Ends pretty quickly though (but the data's not recent enough to show the ROW of the completed (?) Corridor V near the state line).

[Grzrd]

In this September 10 guest column, Dick Hall, transportation commissioner of the Central District for the state of Mississippi, refers to this project as having been "abandoned":

The future of construction of new and badly needed highways and bridges is even bleaker. There could be no better example than the abandoned Highway 82 Bypass Project. There has already been over $57 million spent on this project, but we don't have the $135 million needed to finish it.

This article reports that not even the Task Force itself, which concluded its work yesterday, could offer funding solutions:

A transportation study task force has concluded that the state does not generate enough money to take care of its highway needs.
But the task force, which completed its work yesterday, offered no funding solution.

(bottom quote from Mississippi thread)

In this article, Hall describes the Mississippi highway crisis as "real", focuses on the gas tax as a funding solution, and notes that the Greenville bypass is "stuck with no money":

"Ladies and gents, this is real,"  said Dick Hall, the Mississippi Department of Transportation's Central District Commissioner, during an address to the Vicksburg Lions Club. "The system is going to deteriorate severely."  ....
Hall said he favors increasing the gas tax either for inflation or a calculation that reflects daily vehicle use. One reason, he said, is the federal highway trust fund, of which the state had received about 92 cents back for each dollar paid in, has run dry the past two or three years and has been supplemented only with general funds from Congress ....
Projects to ... reconfigure the bypass along U.S. 82 near the Greenville bridge across the Mississippi River are also stuck "with no money"  to proceed for the time being if the tax isn't adjusted, Hall said.

[msunat97]

It is a shame that the bypass is now stuck & basically abandoned.  I wish it had gone through, but the lack of funds is a real & serious issue across every state.

[Grzrd]

It is a shame that the bypass is now stuck & basically abandoned.  I wish it had gone through, but the lack of funds is a real & serious issue across every state.

Bump. MDOT has embarked on a public relations campaign to increase funding by $400 million per year. The Greenville Bypass is featured in the effort (p. 2/3 of pdf):

There is a need to create multiple bypasses across the state. Constructing a U.S. Highway 82 bypass around Greenville in Washington County and a Highway 15 bypass around Ripley in Tippah County would add capacity to the existing roadways and remove commercial vehicle traffic from downtown areas and off city streets. Economic developers say businesses and industries have not located to these areas because of the lack of adequate infrastructure to carry the increase in commercial traffic.

At least it is in the discussion.

[chays]

Anything new on this?

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Anything new on this?

In the last 6 years? No.

[The Ghostbuster]

How bad is traffic on existing US 82/278 in Greenville? Could another reason for abandoning the project, besides lack of funding, might be that existing traffic counts on 82/278 are insufficient to warrant a bypass at present (and over the last 10 years)?

[Mapmikey]

How bad is traffic on existing US 82/278 in Greenville? Could another reason for abandoning the project, besides lack of funding, might be that existing traffic counts on 82/278 are insufficient to warrant a bypass at present (and over the last 10 years)?

The one time I drove this a few years ago the stoplights on US 82 seemed to be poorly timed.  It felt like it took a long time to get through the Greenville area.

[bwana39]

It is a shame that the bypass is now stuck & basically abandoned.  I wish it had gone through, but the lack of funds is a real & serious issue across every state.

This road is in a cyclone anyway. After this bypass was started, It dawned on Mississippi that a potential freeway is coming 20 miles north. The idea for the bypass is to route 82 and 278 around town. 278 is supposed to not even be there after the Dean Bridge is built. 82 trafic should diminish as well. If the proposed route of I-69 is followed, the bridge and the loop both will be underutilized.

[bwana39]

Thanks Golden Eagle.  I try to avoid the Little Rock - Memphis corridor on I-40.  It's always busy & slowed by construction.  It's a much easier drive through South Arkansas.

A drive across south Arkansas on US 82 is a nightmare with no speed limits above 55 except the ElDorado loop. You go through every village along the route at 30 to 35 mph (and there are several.) The road condition is much improved from a decade ago, but it still is predominately two lane without paved shoulders. I am not a fan of this route,

As to Starkville, it is better to use US 82 instead of going through Memphis if you are coming from SW Arkansas. it is generally faster going through Jackson, From Texarkana west. From Hot Springs east, Memphis is generally faster,