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JACKSON, MISS. – On Wednesday, March 24, the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) held a meeting with Mississippi Transportation Commissioners and stakeholders on the proposed Interstate 69 project through Mississippi. The interstate is designed to support international and domestic trade, moving commerce from Mexico to Canada. Since I-69 was designated as a High Priority Corridor in 1991 through the Intermodal Surface Transportation Act (ISTEA), efforts to build out the full project have faced funding limitations.
The I-69 Corridor is intended to run from the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas to Port Huron, Michigan, a distance of more than 1,600 miles. In Mississippi, an existing segment of I-69 begins at the Tunica/ DeSoto county Line and extends east to I-55, running concurrently with I-55 to the Mississippi/Tennessee state line. The unfinished portion would extend southwest from Tunica, through the Mississippi Delta to Bolivar County and eventually to Arkansas. Mississippi’s portion alone, not including a new bridge to be built over the Mississippi River, would extend 120 miles with a price tag of over $1.5 billion.
Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott attended the meeting via teleconference. “If you’re interested in economic development in Mississippi, it begins with transportation,” said Lott. “I’ve seen it happen, wherever you have an interstate, whether it’s Interstate 10 or 55, your business and economic development occurs along those highways. I’m a big advocate and supporter of Interstate 69.”
“An interstate system through the Mississippi Delta could provide economic development opportunities well into the future,” said MDOT Executive Director Brad White. “Linking major freight hubs to our state could provide business growth that region has never seen before.”
Delta Council representative Frank Howell was a guest presenter at the meeting, providing attendees with the I-69 project history and recent conversations he had with Mississippi Delegates in Washington D.C. Howell described new federal funding opportunities for multi-state interstate construction, which could be used to jumpstart the project.
MDOT executive leadership is now re-evaluating cost estimates to complete the next phase of I-69 from I-269 South to State Route 4 near Tunica. They plan to share their findings with state lawmakers, as Mississippi would be responsible for a 20% match to federal highway funds.
Stay updated on active and upcoming MDOT projects at www.gomdot.com/projects.
