The Secretary began his trip in Rosedale, where he joined Thompson, Mississippi Transportation Commission Chairman Willie Simmons, and community leaders at the Rosedale Bolivar County Port, which received nearly $9 million in federal funds from Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help improve efficiency at the port and lower costs for Mississippians, especially those in rural communities that rely on this port for their livelihoods.
Buttigieg toured the port and talked with workers and port users who will benefit from the upcoming renovations.
Buttigieg then headed to Greenville, where he participated in a community town hall with local elected officials and community leaders from the Mississippi Delta. During this event, the Secretary heard about the unique infrastructure needs of communities across the Delta.
The next day, the Secretary toured Total Transportation of Mississippi’s truck driver training facility. There, Buttigieg and FMCSA Acting Deputy Administrator Sue Lawless participated in an inspection and parking demonstration, then met with some of the women and veterans employed by TOTAL who exemplify the recruitment goals of Biden-Harris Trucking Action Plan.
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Buttigieg then visited the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument in Jackson, where he joined Medgar and Myrlie’s daughter, Reena Evers-Everette, for a tour of the home.
Following the tour, Buttigieg, Thompson, Evers-Everette, Simmons, and local leaders joined together for the groundbreaking ceremony and news conference celebrating the start of construction on the Rebuilding Medgar Evers Boulevard project. This project, funded by a $20 million RAISE grant made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration, will reconstruct a 1.5-mile section of Medgar Evers Boulevard into a pedestrian- and transit-friendly roadway.
The Secretary concluded his time in the state by traveling with Thompson to Tougaloo College for a townhall with state and local leaders from Jackson and the surrounding area. Buttigieg heard about all the ways the President’s Infrastructure Law is driving growth and creating opportunities across Mississippi.
