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

“Construction season is fully underway in southwest Mississippi with significant progress being made on road, bridge, and intersection improvement projects throughout the region,” Busby said. “Notably, a few projects recently wrapped up ahead of schedule, thanks to favorable conditions and a committed workforce. These infrastructure upgrades not only make our communities safer, better connected, and more efficient, they are vital for our state’s growth and prosperity.”

Work is progressing on a bridge replacement project over the Pearl River on U.S. 98 in Marion County, where both the eastbound and westbound bridges are being replaced. Traffic has been shifted to the westbound bridge in a head-to-head configuration to allow for the eastbound bridge replacement. Portions of the eastbound bridge have been removed, and bank stabilization work has begun. Crews are assembling steel reinforcement cages for the trial drill shaft. Over the next few months, production drill shafts will be installed and caps will be poured. The $57.7 million project was awarded to T.L. Wallace of Columbia and is expected to be completed in 2027.A project to replace three bridges on State Route 149 between State Route 13 and U.S. 49 in Simpson County is making headway. With steel placement near completion, crews will soon pour the deck on the Sellers Creek Bridge (Bridge No. 128.6) and the Dabbs Creek Bridge (Bridge No. 131.7). The deck and approach slabs have been poured on the Dabbs Creek Relief Bridge, and work on the railings will follow. The bridges are closed to traffic for the duration of the project. This $25 million contract was awarded to T.L. Wallace, and Phase I of the project is expected to wrap up in 2025. Phase II will involve the replacement of the Strong River Bridge and will begin after Phase I is complete.An aging truss bridge on U.S. 98 over the Homochitto River is being replaced with a modern post-tension concrete bridge in Franklin County as part of a $25.7 million project. The scope of work also includes the construction of new drainage structures on each side of the bridge as well as approximately 2,500 feet of new roadway. At the primary bridge location, a work bridge platform is complete, and site grading is underway. Crews are also performing dirt work, backfilling a newly constructed double box bridge. U.S. 98 is closed between State Route 556 and Berrytown Road while construction is ongoing. This $25.7 million contract was awarded to Key, LLC of Madison and is expected to be completed in summer 2026.Work is complete on a $17.2 million project to overlay 10 miles of U.S. 49 from Magee to Mendenhall and make intersection improvements on U.S. 49 from Goodwater Road to First Avenue. The contract was awarded to APAC - Mississippi, Inc. of Richland.Mainline paving and all shoulder improvements are now complete on a project to overlay U.S. 84 from the Lawrence County line to the Covington County line. This $12.5 million project was awarded to APAC - Mississippi, Inc.Work has begun on a $10 million project to mill and overlay approximately 10 miles of U.S. 49 from Mount Olive to Magee. Mainline paving is complete, and crews are now focused on paving local roads, crossovers, and shoulders. The contract was awarded to APAC - Mississippi, Inc. and is expected to be completed fall 2024.Paving is now complete and shoulder work is underway on a project to mill and overlay approximately 7 miles of U.S. 98 from the Bogue Chitto River to Industrial Park Road in Pike and Walthall counties. The $6 million project was awarded to Dickerson & Bowen of Brookhaven and is expected to be complete in summer 2024.A project in Smith County began in April to improve the intersection of State Route 28 and State Route 37 in Taylorsville. Construction signs have been installed, equipment has been mobilized, and work has begun on underground storm drainage. Once construction is complete, State Route 28 and State Route 37 will have a traditional intersection alignment and a traffic signal. The $5.5 million project was awarded to Chris Albritton Construction of Laurel and should be completed in 2025.