The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is moving forward with system preservation projects in the western part of the state, announced Mississippi Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall.
“The projects MDOT is working on in central Mississippi show our continued shift to maintenance and preservation,” Hall said. “These projects will address critical safety needs for the traveling public.”
A bridge replacement project is underway on State Route 448 in Bolivar County. State Route 448 is an important agricultural route through the Delta, connecting U.S. Highway 61 to State Route 1 and the Mississippi River ports. The route has been plagued by low weight bridges for many years. Key Constructors, LLC, of Madison, was awarded the approximately $7.9 million construction contract to replace four bridges. Recent rainfall and backwater flooding has slowed the progress of this project, however MDOT anticipates a summer 2020 completion.
Crews continue a separate bridge replacement project on State Route 18 in Hinds and Copiah counties. Key Constructors, LLC, was awarded the approximately $18.2 million construction contract to replace two outdated truss bridges, a third low weight bridge and a box culvert that does not meet state and federal standards. MDOT expects the project to be complete in summer 2020.
“Posted bridges are a hindrance to transportation. Not only do they limit the movement of goods, but they also restrict the movement of emergency transportation and school bus traffic,” said Hall. “These two projects will be a major step in making State Route 448 and State Route 18 safer for all who travel them.”
With MDOT’s necessary shift to system preservation, timely maintenance is crucial to keep Mississippi’s highways safe for the traveling public.
W.E. Blain & Sons, Inc., of Mount Olive, was awarded an approximately $4.5 million construction contract for the overlay of a section of U.S. Highway 61 in Jefferson County. This preservation project will extend the original design life of the highway. MDOT expects the overlay to be complete this fall.
Highway work zones present new traffic patterns and configurations that may be unfamiliar to some motorists. For information about how to navigate highway work zones safely, visit GoMDOT.com/drivesmartms.
