Interstate 22

I-22/U.S. 78 east of I-269/MS 304 at the town of Byhalia. - 01/13/2019

Originating at a cloverleaf interchange with I-269 and U.S. 78 near Byhalia, Interstate 22 travels east from the Memphis metropolitan area to Birmingham, Alabama. Within the Magnolia State, I-22 stretches 106.70 miles. Overlapped entirely with U.S. 78 along Appalachian Regional Corridor X, I-22 connects the Marshall County seat of Holly Springs with the city of New Albany in Union County. Further east, I-22/U.S. 78 cross the north side of Tupelo en route to the Itawamba County seat of Fulton.

Interstate 22 Mississippi Guides

East

Byhalia to Holly Springs - 45 photos

Hickory Flat to New Albany, Sherman - 33 photos

Tupelo to Tremont - 68 photos

West

Tremont to Tupelo - 63 photos

Sherman to New Albany, Hickory Flat - 35 photos

Holly Springs to Byhalia - 39 photos

As part of the Appalachian Regional Corridor project, U.S. 78 was designated Corridor X in 1978. Work on the 213 mile long corridor followed, which was further prioritized in 1995 (West, 2015). U.S 78 was eventually approved as future Interstate 22 in legislation passed in 2003. The designation was contingent upon improvements to bring the freeway to Interstate standards, including widening shoulders, expanding exit ramps, and installing medians (Commercial Dispatch, 2005). The federal transportation bill signed into law in August 2005 allocated over $21 million in improvements to U.S. 78 (Pettus, 2005), including $5 million to upgrade the Downtown interchange (Exit 63) in New Albany to interstate standards (Natchez Democrat, 2005).

Construction upgrading U.S. 78 to interstate standards in New Albany got underway on March 15, 2012. Work widened the bridges over Carter Avenue and the Tallahatchie River to 40 feet. The ramps for the Downtown New Albany exit were also expanded and lengthened around 200 feet (New Albany Gazette, 2012). The estimated completion for the $19 million project was November 2013 (Johnson, 2012). Construction, which also included the installation of a median barrier, continued into early 2014 (New Albany Gazette, 2013).

The Mississippi Transportation Commission authorized the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) to submit an application to formally designate U.S. 78 as Interstate 22 in May 2015. A signage ceremony for Interstate 22 took place on October 23, 2015 in New Albany. Signage for the route was installed during the week preceding the event, but covered awaiting for official designation ceremony (West, 2015).

scenes

MS 309 north at I-22/U.S. 78 west in the town of Byhalia.

01/13/19

Landfill Road meets I-22/U.S. 78 east at Exit 26, just ahead of a parclo B2 interchange with MS 178.

01/13/19

MS 4/7 combine north ahead of the Marshall County seat of Holly Springs and I-22/U.S. 78 at Exit 30.

01/13/19

MS 4/7 north at I-22/U.S. 78 west to Byhalia and Memphis, Tennessee.

01/13/19

MS 4/7 overlap 3.4 miles south from a roundabout to the diamond interchange with I-22/U.S. 78 at Exit 26.

01/13/19

The commercial strip along MS 4/7 at Holly Springs extends south to Alexander Drive just beyond the exchange with I-22/U.S. 78.

01/13/19

Red Banks Road meets I-22/U.S. 78 at Exit 21 just south of MS 178 in the unincorporated community of Red Banks.

01/13/19

Veterans Memorial Boulevard heads 1.88 miles north from MS 6 past Veterans Park to the diamond interchange (Exit 87) with I-22/U.S. 78 in northeast Tupelo.

01/13/19

Veterans Memorial Boulevard expands to a four lane, divided highway through the exchange with I-22/U.S. 78 in northeast Tupelo.

01/13/19

Connect with:

Interstate 269

U.S. 45

Page Updated Tuesday February 24, 2026.