The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) will soon begin work on a comprehensive highway reconstruction project beginning at the U.S. Highway 90 interchange of Highway 63 (to the north) and Highway 611 (to the south) in Jackson County. Tanner Construction Company was awarded the phase one $21 million project. Jackson County was awarded a $35 million Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) grant to construct the two phase interchange project.
Initial work on phase one of the project has begun this month, with construction set to begin in early January. Along with intersection improvements, the project will involve roadway reconstruction both north and south along Highway 63 and Highway 611. The project will include construction of a new 711 ft. long bridge which will be built along Highway 63 with two lanes northbound and a turn lane and two lanes southbound with a merge lane. The new bridge will span existing Highway 90 and the railroad tracks to the south.
A number of roadway realignments and new traffic signals will be included in the project. Highway 63 will be realigned going northbound at Old Mobile Highway and will tie back to existing Highway 63 at Frederick Street. Shortcut Road will be realigned to the north with a new signal. New signals will be installed at Old Mobile Highway and Highway 90 at both new ramp locations and the new Shortcut road alignment 500 ft. south of Frederick Street.
The new bridge will be constructed entirely to the east of the existing Highway 90 and Highway 63/Highway 611 interchange. The existing intersection will remain open until the bridge is fully constructed. Traffic will then be diverted to the new bridge and the remaining ramps will be constructed.
"This worthy project will improve safety and efficiency for the thousands who use this busy intersection on a daily basis," said MDOT Southern District Commissioner Wayne Brown. "This project has had solid support from Jackson County, MDA, MDOT and local business and industry leaders--working together to bring it to the construction phase. All who travel this area during construction should stay alert and proceed with caution."
Phase two of the project is expected to start late next year, which will expand Highway 611 to five lanes from Old Mobile Highway to the end of state maintenance at the Chevron Pascagoula Refinery facility.
Contact: Layla Essary, MDOT public affairs, 601/359-7017
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