A rural highway linking the seats of Pearl River, Stone and George Counties in southeastern Mississippi, MS 26 extends east from LA 10 and Bogalusa, Louisiana to MS 198 in Lucedale. The 76.6 mile mile route connects with Interstate 59 at Poplarville and travels east from there to U.S. 49 and MS 29 at Wiggins. Traversing areas of Desoto National Forest, MS 26 advances east to MS 57 at Benndale, the MS 63 expressway west of Lucedale and MS 198 in the Lucedale business district.
Mississippi Highway 26 Guides
Historically the route of Mississippi Highway 26 was proposed as part of a long extension of U.S. 13 southwest from Goldsboro, North Carolina to New Orleans, Louisiana. Within Louisiana, U.S. 13 was outlined as running north from U.S. 61 across Lake Pontchartrain Causeway to an overlap with U.S. 190 at Mandeville. U.S. 13 was to overlay LA 21 north to Bogalusa and LA 10 east from there into Mississippi.
The U.S. 13 proposal also included an overlap with U.S. 98 east from Lucedale to Mobile, Alabama. This was denied by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) on June 28, 1961:
Applications from all states denied for the reason that certain sections on the proposed routing are not up to the required standards in accordance with Item 14 of the "Purpose and Policy in the Establishment and Development of the U.S. Numbered Highways." adopted January 1, 1959. It was further indicated from applications presented that there was not enough through traffic to warrant the inclusion of this route into the U.S. Numbered system.
Connect with:
Interstate 59
U.S. 11
U.S. 49
Highway 57
Highway 63
Highway 198
Page Updated 09-04-2024.