Mississippi

[HemiCRZ]

The saddest part was that Jackson had the worst roads by far. We went up US 61 at Vicksburg and MS 1 around Greenville and you get the idea... the roads in the delta were fine... in Jackson though the westbound roadway of I-20 is some of the worst road I've ever been on.

There's some really odd dips and camber changes in the road around Jackson which I suppose is attributable to the Yazoo Clay soil? Seems to be a problem unique to the area; there's localized places in the US with just plain bad roads or a lack of immediate maintenance, but nothing quite like that.

The clay is a factor, but the more attributable answer is simply forced neglect. Jackson and surrounding Hinds County is a deep blue pocket of Democratic voters, with leadership of both of those jurisdictions regularly clashing with the deep red state government. Mississippi's state government commonly paints fabricated conditions within Jackson as justification for state takeover of various things (see the JXN water crisis).

The conditions of roads within Jackson and Hinds County are another way that state government can paint the view that Jackson leadership lacks the ability to lead. The State of Mississippi owns over half of the property within Jackson, but it is all tax-except and the state refuses to negotiate a payment-in-lieu of taxes model that most other state governments do to help support Jackson's administration of city services.

Go look at the amount of money that MDOT spends in the Jackson suburbs to the north in Madison County and Rankin County, vs. what MDOT does in Hinds County.

It's all about controlling the public and the voter's perception of Jackson, and how to make the quality of life in Jackson seem worse compared to the wealthier suburbs (Madison, Brandon, Flowood, etc.)

[freebrickproductions]

Earlier this week, MDOT officially opened the new roundabout for the intersection of US 72 and MS 7 in rural Benton County, MS. The press release on MDOT's website doesn't include any photos, but they did share some on their Facebook page. Interestingly, it appears MDOT decided to use overhead APL signage for the approaches on US 72.
https://mdot.ms.gov/portal/news_release_view/1981
https://www.facebook.com/MississippiDOT/posts/pfbid0zTAi4WfGSbU4jJq34WCCz6iqGi62gbnSkW4RBnVKTgtjBx4jties9YAg7yrrv8tEl

Here's how the intersection used to look, for those curious.

[bwana39]

Earlier this week, MDOT officially opened the new roundabout for the intersection of US 72 and MS 7 in rural Benton County, MS. The press release on MDOT's website doesn't include any photos, but they did share some on their Facebook page. Interestingly, it appears MDOT decided to use overhead APL signage for the approaches on US 72.
https://mdot.ms.gov/portal/news_release_view/1981
https://www.facebook.com/MississippiDOT/posts/pfbid0zTAi4WfGSbU4jJq34WCCz6iqGi62gbnSkW4RBnVKTgtjBx4jties9YAg7yrrv8tEl

Here's how the intersection used to look, for those curious.

So I assume the speed limit on US-72 is 35 now?

[I-55]

Earlier this week, MDOT officially opened the new roundabout for the intersection of US 72 and MS 7 in rural Benton County, MS. The press release on MDOT's website doesn't include any photos, but they did share some on their Facebook page. Interestingly, it appears MDOT decided to use overhead APL signage for the approaches on US 72.
https://mdot.ms.gov/portal/news_release_view/1981
https://www.facebook.com/MississippiDOT/posts/pfbid0zTAi4WfGSbU4jJq34WCCz6iqGi62gbnSkW4RBnVKTgtjBx4jties9YAg7yrrv8tEl

Here's how the intersection used to look, for those curious.

So I assume the speed limit on US-72 is 35 now?

That'd be a logical assumption. Similar situation to the random 4-way stop on US 82 in Mathiston which drops to 35 except US 72 / MS 7 isn't near any sort of population center.

[bwana39]

Earlier this week, MDOT officially opened the new roundabout for the intersection of US 72 and MS 7 in rural Benton County, MS. The press release on MDOT's website doesn't include any photos, but they did share some on their Facebook page. Interestingly, it appears MDOT decided to use overhead APL signage for the approaches on US 72.
https://mdot.ms.gov/portal/news_release_view/1981
https://www.facebook.com/MississippiDOT/posts/pfbid0zTAi4WfGSbU4jJq34WCCz6iqGi62gbnSkW4RBnVKTgtjBx4jties9YAg7yrrv8tEl

Here's how the intersection used to look, for those curious.

So I assume the speed limit on US-72 is 35 now?

It isn't like the low speed limits are outliers, both 278 abd 82 have multiple 35 mph places in Arkansas. US-278 from McGehee to Hope has an average speed  of 44 MPH with the limits varying from 30 to a max of 55.

[formulanone]

Earlier this week, MDOT officially opened the new roundabout for the intersection of US 72 and MS 7 in rural Benton County, MS. The press release on MDOT's website doesn't include any photos, but they did share some on their Facebook page. Interestingly, it appears MDOT decided to use overhead APL signage for the approaches on US 72.
https://mdot.ms.gov/portal/news_release_view/1981
https://www.facebook.com/MississippiDOT/posts/pfbid0zTAi4WfGSbU4jJq34WCCz6iqGi62gbnSkW4RBnVKTgtjBx4jties9YAg7yrrv8tEl

Here's how the intersection used to look, for those curious.

Photos of US 72 and SR 7, taken back in June (yup, another US 7 shield in the first photo):

[ElishaGOtis]

New bill that would authorize a speed limit of 75mph on controlled-access highways, and changes the rural default speed limit to 70mph (up from 65). Do note that 80mph has always been allowed in toll roads in MS, but currently there are none in the state.

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2025/pdf/HB/0001-0099/HB0074IN.pdf

Wondering how far this will get lol 

Personally, I kinda wish that they split the default speed limit into 2 and 4 lanes, being 55 and 65/70 respectively (as currently there are no 2-lane roads in MS that are posted at 60-65 despite the default speed limit currently being 65, similar to TN in a way), but it'll be interesting to see what happens. Thinking a compromise like that would make the bill more attractive to some constituents.

[froggie]

Wouldn't be all that useful on the Interstates, especially I-10 and I-20, due to the truck volumes.  But would be helpful on the rural 4-lane highways.  Years ago, I'd routinely set my cruise at 72 on 45 between Marion and Lauderdale and MSP wouldn't even bat an eye...

[ElishaGOtis]

Wouldn't be all that useful on the Interstates, especially I-10 and I-20, due to the truck volumes.  But would be helpful on the rural 4-lane highways.  Years ago, I'd routinely set my cruise at 72 on 45 between Marion and Lauderdale and MSP wouldn't even bat an eye...

What about I-22?

[froggie]

Outside of New Albany, probably doable on 22.

[RoadMaster09]

I believe the only non-Interstate that is posted at 70 mph in Mississippi is US 82 in the Golden Triangle? Although I suspect the Greenville bypass will be posted at such if nothing else gets passed.

[froggie]

I believe the only non-Interstate that is posted at 70 mph in Mississippi is US 82 in the Golden Triangle? Although I suspect the Greenville bypass will be posted at such if nothing else gets passed.

Prior to I-22, most of US 78 was signed at 70mph.  The non-22 section west of I-269 still is.

[HemiCRZ]

Bumping the limit up 5mph won't do much but maybe save a few tickets. I regularly run 77-82mph between Jackson and Laurel on US 49 and US 84 as traffic allows me and MHP couldn't care less.

All of the interstates are basically treated as racetracks and it is not at all uncommon to have a Texas or Louisiana-plated vehicle pass you doing 90-100 in the rural stretches.

I ran 85 last week from Memphis to Jackson down I-55 and I was getting passed by other drivers.

I have always felt the rural limit on 2-lane roads should be 60 mph and 75 on the 4-lanes. I think we are just a bit too densely populated to warrant an 80 mph limit anywhere.

However, suppose someone built a completely controlled access tollway between Jackson and Gulfport following the US 49 alignment... I guess I could get behind a 80 mph limit on that. 

[Plutonic Panda]

I did around 100-105 through Mississippi and didn't have any issues. Traffic moves surprisingly fast through that state.

[Georgia]

no one wants to be in Mississippi any longer than they have to be.

[Plutonic Panda]

It's a pretty nice state driving through the hills and shit. But I never live there and I don't know much too much about it. I did read and I don't know how true it is that when the Cohen Brothers cast the movie O Brother, where Art thou, the Ku Klux Klan scene, was the only scene filmed out of state because they were worried that people would show in an actual robes. Again, that's just a rumor if somebody has proof to correct me otherwise please do.

[froggie]

I did around 100-105 through Mississippi and didn't have any issues. Traffic moves surprisingly fast through that state.

That is surprising, considering that when I was stationed there traffic moved considerably slower/closer to the speed limit (even under such on most non-Interstates).  There was always a noticable bump in traffic speed when crossing into Alabama, despite the speed limits remaining the same.

[I-55]

I did around 100-105 through Mississippi and didn't have any issues. Traffic moves surprisingly fast through that state.

That is surprising, considering that when I was stationed there traffic moved considerably slower/closer to the speed limit (even under such on most non-Interstates).  There was always a noticable bump in traffic speed when crossing into Alabama, despite the speed limits remaining the same.

I've always noticed the opposite, where Mississippi often moves 2-3 mph faster than Alabama. When I had my learner's permit my mom actually wanted me to drive +9 on I-55 (+5 was my parents' usual limit for me). Part of that could be due to the lower volumes and longer distances between cities in Mississippi. Another interesting thing I noticed between the Southeast and the Midwest is that the group behavior is different. Midwest drivers have a hierarchy of lanes and associated speeds increasing from right to left (Example: I-465 right lane about 55-60 mph, middle lanes 65-70 mph, left 2 lanes 70+) whereas driving from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham everyone was between 76-78 mph and there was no definitive fast/slow lane (in fact I got caught on 459 behind a vehicle doing 65 in the left lane failing to pass a truck). On the flip side, every time I thought someone was going to merge on in front of me nd force me to move over they merged onto the interstate at 70+, while most Midwest entry ramps I use barely get to 55 mph when behind other drivers (usually 65 mph entry on downhill ramps).

[Plutonic Panda]

I did around 100-105 through Mississippi and didn't have any issues. Traffic moves surprisingly fast through that state.

That is surprising, considering that when I was stationed there traffic moved considerably slower/closer to the speed limit (even under such on most non-Interstates).  There was always a noticable bump in traffic speed when crossing into Alabama, despite the speed limits remaining the same.

I went down the 55 to New Orleans. Then when I-10. The most law-enforcement I saw was in Florida. I could not believe how many police officers there were.

[ElishaGOtis]

I did around 100-105 through Mississippi and didn't have any issues. Traffic moves surprisingly fast through that state.

That is surprising, considering that when I was stationed there traffic moved considerably slower/closer to the speed limit (even under such on most non-Interstates).  There was always a noticable bump in traffic speed when crossing into Alabama, despite the speed limits remaining the same.

I went down the 55 to New Orleans. Then when I-10. The most law-enforcement I saw was in Florida. I could not believe how many police officers there were.

Helps that I-10 is one of the only major highways in that area.

Doesn't help that half of it is closed at the moment due to ice (from AL all the way to FL Exit 192)...

[Plutonic Panda]

I did around 100-105 through Mississippi and didn't have any issues. Traffic moves surprisingly fast through that state.

That is surprising, considering that when I was stationed there traffic moved considerably slower/closer to the speed limit (even under such on most non-Interstates).  There was always a noticable bump in traffic speed when crossing into Alabama, despite the speed limits remaining the same.

I went down the 55 to New Orleans. Then when I-10. The most law-enforcement I saw was in Florida. I could not believe how many police officers there were.

Helps that I-10 is one of the only major highways in that area.

Doesn't help that half of it is closed at the moment due to ice (from AL all the way to FL Exit 192)...

This wasn't during the storm. It was around 2018ish.

[ElishaGOtis]

I did around 100-105 through Mississippi and didn't have any issues. Traffic moves surprisingly fast through that state.

That is surprising, considering that when I was stationed there traffic moved considerably slower/closer to the speed limit (even under such on most non-Interstates).  There was always a noticable bump in traffic speed when crossing into Alabama, despite the speed limits remaining the same.

I went down the 55 to New Orleans. Then when I-10. The most law-enforcement I saw was in Florida. I could not believe how many police officers there were.

Helps that I-10 is one of the only major highways in that area.

Doesn't help that half of it is closed at the moment due to ice (from AL all the way to FL Exit 192)...

This wasn't during the storm. It was around 2018ish.

True that. However, even today, I-10 is heavily patrolled. Your point still stands