U.S. 11

U.S. 11

U.S. 11 in Mississippi generally serves local traffic as it parallels or overlaps with Interstate 59 from the Louisiana state line near Picayune to Meridian, and I-20/59 east in Lauderdale County to the Alabama border. U.S. 11 stays west of I-59 through Poplarville and Purvis to Hattiesburg, where the route expands to a four lane arterial.

Beyond a cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 49, U.S. 11 proceeds northeast to Downtown Hattiesburg, where it separates into a couplet along Front Street north and Pine Street south. The route crosses the Leaf River to Petal en route to Ellisville.

U.S. 11 crosses Interstate 59 north from Ellisville and again in south Laurel. I-59 bypasses Downtown Laurel alongside U.S. 84/MS 15 while U.S. 11 lines Ellisville Boulevard to the city center. U.S. 11 shifts to the east of I-59 again at north Laurel along a rural route to Meridian.

Entering the city of Meridian by Meridian Regional Airport, U.S. 11 runs north to I-20/59-U.S. 80 at Exit 150 and MS 19. U.S. 11/MS 19 join the freeway across the south side of Meridian east to Exit 154 / MS 39. Neither U.S. 11/80 are acknowledged at Exit 150, where the two routes dog leg west along MS 39 onto their continuation to Russell. U.S. 11/80 cross I-20/59 again east between Toomsuba and Cuba, Alabama.

Historically the Mississippi State Highway Department proposed establishing a Bypass route for U.S. 11 in Hattiesburg following a combination of U.S. 49, U.S. 49 Business and MS 42. The application was approved by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) on June 27, 1957:

The present route of U.S. 11 through Hattiesburg is along narrow streets through the heart of the business district. The Highway Department is completing a section of Miss. 42 which affords an excellent opportunity to by-pass all through traffic on U.S. 11, saving time for the motorist and relieving congestion in the down town section.
The use of the By-Pass route will eliminate routing traffic through the railroad switching yards in Hattiesburg.

However the following year, the Mississippi State Highway Department requested the removal of U.S. 11 Bypass at Hattiesburg. AASHTO approved the application on June 26.

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Page Updated Monday September 09, 2024.