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

“A large amount of infrastructure improvement projects are currently underway in Southeast Mississippi with even more on the horizon,” King said. “This work is great news for Mississippians as it will ultimately improve safety of the traveling public and increase efficiency for commercial traffic. More projects also mean more work zones, so please slow down and watch out for workers.”

A $5.4 million overlay project on State Route 503 in Jasper County is now complete. This project stretches 23.3 miles from State Route 528 to the Newton County line. This contract was awarded to Dunn Roadbuilders of Laurel.Work began this spring on a $212.6 million project to grade, drain, bridge, and pave approximately nine miles of State Route 57 from I-10 to Vancleave. Tree clearing is currently underway at the southern end of the project and drainage work has begun.

A portion of the project involves widening SR 57 from two to four lanes along the existing route from I-10 to Gautier-Vancleave Road. A new four-lane alignment for SR 57 will be constructed connecting it from Gautier-Vancleave Road to the Lake O’Pines area. The project will alleviate congestion in the area and expand the capacity of the roadway, which is a hurricane evacuation route.

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

Following damage sustained by Hurricane Zeta, a project is ongoing in Harrison and Hancock Counties to repair or replace traffic signals and information technology equipment at 42 intersections along U.S. 90 from Bay St. Louis to Biloxi. Work on high priority signals in Gulfport and Biloxi is complete. A number of traffic signal heads have been replaced as well. New cable, conduit, and ITS components are being installed.  

This nearly $5 million project was awarded to Webster Electric of Collinsville. Work is expected to be complete in spring 2024.

A similar project will soon be underway in Harrison County to repair or replace traffic signals and information technology equipment. Work will take place at 51 signalized intersections along U.S. 49, I-10, I-110, State Route 605, and State Route 67.

This $3.4 million project was awarded to Powell Construction of Magee and is expected to begin spring 2023.

A safety improvement project is underway in Forrest County on I-59. This $66.7 million project stretches 14 miles from the Lamar County line to just south of Moselle.

Crews are currently rubblizing and paving the northbound lanes from Exit 73 to 76 while grading operations are underway in the southbound lanes. Cable rails are also being placed in the median. Crews will begin rubblization work south of Exit 73 after the current segment is complete. This project was awarded to Dunn Roadbuilders and is expected to be complete in 2024.

A safety improvement project on U.S. 49 is nearing completion in Forrest County. The project stretches from the Stone County line to South Gate Road. Median grading and drainage operations are nearly complete. Paving operations are underway in the southbound lane from Black Creek to Southgate Road. Two directional crossovers also known as “j-turns” will be constructed at the U.S. 49 intersections with State Route 13 and Carnes Road.

This $41 million contract was awarded to T.L. Wallace Construction of Columbia and is expected to wrap up in summer 2023.

A $13 million project to mill and overlay seven miles of I-59 from just south of the Hillsdale interchange to the Lamar County line is underway. Guardrail is being placed and final striping remains. This project was awarded to Warren Paving of Hattiesburg and is expected to be complete in summer 2023.A bridge replacement project is underway to replace the State Route 42 bridge over Tallahalla Creek in Perry County. Piles have been driven and crews are placing beams and drill shafts. Deck installation is expected to begin soon.    

This $17 million project was awarded to Cotton Creek Transport of Laurel. The bridge replacement is expected to be completed in fall 2023.

A project to improve the intersection on U.S. 84 at Reservoir Road/Magnolia Hill Road and State Route 184 is complete in Wayne County. This $4 million project was awarded to R & J Construction Company, Inc. of Laurel.A $7 million project to widen and overlay State Route 29 from west of I-59 to Junction 28 is now underway in Jones County. Clearing has been completed and the contractor is now working on widening and leveling operations. This project was awarded to Warren Paving and is expected to be complete summer 2023.An overlay project on State Route 63 is in progress in George County from Sally Parker Road to U.S. 98. With mainline paving now complete, ramps, local roads, and crossovers are being paved. This $7.6 million project was awarded to Warren Paving and is expected to be completed in 2023.A $4.27 million project to replace two bridges on State Route 145 in Clarke County is underway. Bridges No. 35.0 and No. 43.8 on SR 145 are being replaced. All piles have been driven and clearing is complete. Caps are being poured, and the contractor is working on slopes. This project was awarded to T.L. Wallace and should be completed in 2024.An overlay project to pave five miles of U.S. 90 in Hancock County from Rifle Range Road to Lower Bay Road is underway. Mainline paving is complete, and crews are paving crossovers. This $6 million project was awarded to Huey P. Stockstill of Picayune and is expected to wrap up in summer 2023.