HATTIESBURG, MS — Commissioner Charles Busby, Southern Transportation District, announces updates to several Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) projects in south Mississippi.

“Road construction in southeast Mississippi may be approaching an all-time high right now,” Busby said. “These substantial infrastructure projects that pose a significant inconvenience today will pay huge benefits to motorists in just a few short years and, more importantly, will fuel the growth of this region for decades to come. I encourage everyone to consider the advantages of these projects as you enter work zones and take extra precaution, especially when workers are present.”

A major project to widen I-10 from four to six lanes from Diamondhead to County Farm Road in Harrison and Hancock counties is underway. The project’s scope also includes the addition of digital message signs and traffic cameras along this stretch of I-10 and the construction of a multi-use path and a noise barrier wall near the Diamondhead exit.

New lanes will be built within the existing median, and the outside shoulder is being widened to accommodate a traffic shift toward the outer lanes. Crews are nearly finished widening the shoulder and will soon be staged in the median. Three bridges on I-10 must be widened as part of the project, and crews are removing the outside portion of bridge deck and installing new deck concrete. Test piles have been driven for the noise barrier wall. For the multi-use path, clearing and grubbing is nearly complete, and drainage work is underway. Conduit is being installed for the technological components of the project.

The project is expected to alleviate congestion in the area, increase safety for motorists and pedestrians, and reduce noise in the Diamondhead area. The $155 million contract was awarded to Huey P. Stockstill, LLC of Picayune and is expected to be completed in 2027.

Progress continues on a massive $212.6 million project to widen and create a new alignment on approximately 9 miles of State Route 57 from I-10 to Vancleave in Jackson County.

Interchanges are under construction at Gautier Vancleave Road and Jim Ramsay Road, along with other connections being developed near Twin Magnolia Lane and Poticaw Bayou Road. Earthwork and culvert installation is ongoing, with most box culverts complete in this phase of construction. Nearly all of the project’s 13 bridges are under construction, with three bridges nearly complete. Crushed stone is being installed along West Frontage Road, Seaman Road, and SR 57 between Gautier Vancleave Road and Humphrey Road to prepare for paving.

The project was awarded to W.G. Yates and Sons Construction Company of Jackson and is expected to wrap up in 2027.

A $66.7 million safety improvement project continues to progress in Forrest and Jones County on I-59 from the Lamar County line to just south of Moselle.

Work is primarily taking place between Evelyn Gandy Parkway/State Route 42 (Exit 69) and U.S. 49 (Exit 67A and 67B). Crews have completed paving work at the Bouie River bridge approaches in the northbound lanes of I-59. To complete similar work in the southbound lanes, traffic will soon switch to a head-to-head configuration in the northbound lanes at the Bouie River bridge. A Smart Work Zone system has been implemented on this project to improve safety and traffic flow.

This project was awarded to Dunn Roadbuilders of Laurel and is expected to be completed in early 2025.

Clearing and drainage work is underway on a major project to widen U.S. 49 from four to six lanes from O’Neal Road to north of School Road. The project is expected to alleviate congestion in the area and increase traffic capacity. The scope of work includes the construction of a continuous flow intersection at State Route 53, which will be the first of its kind in the state of Mississippi.

This project is one of the eight capacity projects funded through a supplemental appropriation from the Mississippi Legislature in 2023. The $44.9 million project was awarded to Necaise Brothers of Gulfport and is expected to be completed in 2026.

A $37 million project is underway to mill and overlay I-59 from just north of the Louisiana state line to McNeill. The project also involves pier protection for bridges, new asphalt with a drainage layer, and ramp improvements. Crews are currently paving the southbound lanes and shoulder paving and an application of Open Grade Friction Course asphalt will follow.

This project was awarded to Huey P. Stockstill and is expected to be completed in fall 2024.

A $21.9 million bridge replacement project on U.S. 11 over Hobolochitto Creek is underway in Pearl River County. Clearing is nearly complete, and crews are performing earthwork and driving production piles.

The new bridge will feature a sidewalk with a concrete barrier to protect pedestrians. It is being constructed adjacent to the existing bridge, minimizing traffic interruptions. The project was awarded to Cotton Creek Transport of Laurel and is expected to wrap up in late 2025.