YAZOO CITY, MS — Commissioner Willie Simmons, Central Transportation District, announces updates to several Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) maintenance projects in western Mississippi.

“As Commissioner, I’m proud to report that we are starting this year off right by making headway on many critical infrastructure improvement projects throughout the western part of our state,” Simmons said. “We are replacing bridges and paving roads towards a brighter, safer, and more connected Mississippi.”

The construction of nine miles of four-lane highway known as the U.S. 82 Greenville Bypass continues making progress from State Route 1 to Leland in Washington County. Crews have completed all box culverts. Traffic has been switched to the new alignment at VFW/Flannagan Frontage Road and the Old U.S. 61 bridge. The bridges over Kuhn Road and Black Bayou are complete. Paving operations have progressed west of VFW Road. Earthwork operations continue west of Haxton Road. Crews are currently working on bridges at Haxton Road, Main Canal, and Flannagan Road. The $137 million contract was awarded to Eutaw Construction of Madison. Work is on track to be completed fall 2025.A critical project calling for the replacement of three bridges on State Route 16/149 over the Yazoo River Floodway Channels is now underway. The work required the complete closure of SR 16/149 between West Leeve Road and Whittington East Levee Road in Yazoo County. During the closure, northbound traffic will detour by taking State Route 3 to U.S. 49W north. Southbound traffic will take U.S. 49W south to SR 3 south. With the road closed, the contractor has removed a bridge and begun clearing operations. Remaining work is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The $27.9 million project was awarded to Key, LLC of Madison.The 22-mile mill and overlay of I-55 from half a mile north of State Route 17 to the Carroll County line continues to make headway. Trees will be cleared within 50 feet of the travel lanes, and the interstate will be milled and overlayed with two lifts of stone matrix asphalt (SMA). Completed work includes the partial clearing of trees along the interstate, milling work, and paving the first lift of SMA throughout the project. Paving efforts from Durant to the Carroll County line remain underway on the interstate, shoulders, and local roads. The $39 million project was awarded to APAC-Mississippi, Inc. of Jackson. Work is estimated to be completed by spring 2024.A bridge replacement project on State Route 27 is nearly complete over the Big Black River in Hinds County. The contractor has moved traffic to the new alignment and is removing the old bridge and roadway. The nearly $20 million contract was awarded to Key, LLC. Remaining work will wrap up spring 2024.A project calling for repairs to several I-20 bridges over Iowa Avenue, Stouts Bayou, and the KCS Railroad in Warren County is progressing. The project began last summer. Crews are installing rip rap at the bridge sites and constructing the new riding surface. The $3.4 million project was awarded to Key, LLC. Work remains on track to be completed by summer 2024.A mill and overlay of 11 miles of I-55 from the Lincoln County line to Hazlehurst in Copiah County is complete. The $16.1 million contract was awarded to W.E. Blain & Sons of Mount Olive.A project to overlay 15 miles of State Route 446 from State Route 1 to U.S. 61 is underway in Bolivar County. Crews have completed random clearing throughout the project and are currently repairing failed areas. The $5.1 million contract was awarded to APAC-Mississippi, Inc. Work is scheduled to be completed by summer 2024.Work recently began on a project to overlay 16 miles of State Route 448 from SR 1 to U.S. 61 in Bolivar County. Random clearing efforts have been completed. Remaining work is estimated to wrap up summer 2024. The $6.4 million project was awarded to APAC-Mississippi, Inc.A project to replace the State Route 18 bridge No. 24.2 over White Oak Creek between the Claiborne County line and the Hinds County line is nearing completion. Traffic has been swapped back to the original alignment, and crews have removed the detour. The project will be fully completed by spring 2024. The $4.9 million contract was awarded to Joe McGee Construction Company of Lake.A mill and overlay of seven miles of SR 18 from 0.4 miles west of Lemon Road is underway in Claiborne County to one mile west of Carpenter Road in Copiah County. Crews are making progress and currently paving the mainline. Remaining work will wrap up spring 2024. The $2.1 million project was awarded to Dickerson & Bowen, Inc. of Brookhaven.A project to overlay 15 miles of State Route 433 from Benton to the end of state maintenance at Ebenezer-Coxburg Road in Yazoo and Holmes counties is now underway. The contractor is currently performing random clearing along the roadway. Work is estimated to be completed fall 2024. The nearly $5 million project was awarded to APAC-Mississippi, Inc.A bridge replacement project on U.S. 51 located 2.6 miles north of State Route 28 in Copiah County is making headway. The project began last summer. The contractor has closed the roadway, removed the existing bridge, and set beams for the new bridge. Remaining work is expected to wrap up summer 2024. The $2.1 million project was awarded to Cotton Creek Transport, Inc. of Laurel.