A total of just over $964 million in projects was approved for the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) in Fiscal Year 2022 — an all-time high in funding for projects.
The nearly $1 billion investment into MDOT projects represents an 80 percent increase over the previous five years, which allowed for the department to approve the most projects in its history.
“Additional funds invested in transportation mean that MDOT can accomplish more and better fulfill its mission of providing safe and efficient infrastructure for all who travel in Mississippi,” Tom King, Chair of the Mississippi Transportation Commission said. “We are grateful to Congress, the Mississippi Legislature, and Gov. Tate Reeves for making these projects possible.”
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MDOT’s federal funding increased as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provided Mississippi with more than $1 billion in additional funding from the Federal Highway Administration over a five-year period.
On the state level, the Mississippi legislature increased MDOT’s appropriation in the 2022 session by $236 million, which included supplements to MDOT’s maintenance and capacity programs. The Emergency Road and Bridge Repair Fund was also increased by $100 million.
Additionally, the agency receives $80 million in lottery proceeds that have been used to pave hundreds of miles of rural highways around the state.