The Mississippi Department of Transportation is lauding 2024 as a record year for infrastructure project investment.
In Fiscal Year 2024, $1.2 billion in projects was approved, $255 million more than the record set in 2022. According to the department, the accomplishment was made possible due to increased funding and an agency-wide focus on efficiency.
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With the uptick in funding, crews will continue to make improvements to roads and bridges across the state. Many projects are currently underway.
“MDOT’s achievements in 2024 are a testament to the cooperation and dedication of our internal team as well as a reflection of the strides we’ve made in strengthening our partnerships at the state and federal levels,” MDOT Executive Director Brad White said. “Infrastructure funding and maintenance is one of the bedrocks of a flourishing society, and we are thankful to be entrusted with resources that keep Mississippi moving.”
On the federal level in FY 2024, additional project funding came from more than $220 million in grants awarded from the U.S. Department of Transportation and from funds directed from Mississippi’s congressional delegation. At the state level, the Mississippi Legislature increased MDOT’s appropriation in the 2024 session by $620 million, which included supplements to MDOT’s capacity and maintenance programs.
Per a release from MDOT, a major project kicked off in Tippah County this past August when officials broke ground on the “Ripley Bypass.” This $195 million dollar campaign will widen and construct 10.5 miles of State Route 15 from Union County to Ripley and build a State Route 2 connector in Blue Mountain.
Also in north Mississippi, the construction of six bridges on State Route 8 in Calhoun and Grenada counties is nearing completion. The new bridges will greatly enhance safety for motorists.
In the Mississippi Delta, Phase II of the U.S. 82 Greenville Bypass began this year, marking substantial progress on the $216 million project to construct approximately 16 miles of new, four-lane highway from Leland to the Mississippi River bridge.
In central Mississippi, a major $36 million capacity project expanding State Route 19 from Tucker to Philadelphia in Neshoba County is nearing completion. The project will increase safety and mobility across east central Mississippi.
Further south, a $76 million project began this year to make significant improvements to the I-55 corridor in Pike County by resurfacing five miles of interstate, raising four bridges over I-55 and improving the U.S. 98 interchange.
Along the Mississippi Gulf Coast in Harrison and Hancock counties, a massive $155 million capacity project kicked off last spring to widen I-10 from four to six lanes from County Farm Rd. to Diamondhead and make additional enhancements along the interstate.
In 2024, MDOT also scheduled 18 paving projects across the state thanks to $80 million dollars received from the Mississippi Lottery.
Despite the historic levels of funding, department officials are still asking the legislature to find ways to steer additional dollars to capacity projects. This will certainly be addressed during the upcoming legislative session.