The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) said it will launch one of its most significant infrastructure investments, “The Big Fix,” this fall.
The project, the I-20/I-55 Freight Corridors Improvement Project will rehabilitate and modernize 36 bridges; resurface or repair 32 interstate miles; and install Intelligent Transportation System technology to give motorists real-time travel information and traffic updates. The project will extend bridge life spans and improve their long-term reliability, officials said, while improving the driving experience on the roads.
“This transformative initiative will modernize some of the state’s most heavily-traveled corridors, enhancing safety, improving mobility and extending the life of many interstate bridges throughout the Jackson-metro,” Mississippi Transportation Commission Chairman Willie Simmons said. “The Big Fix represents a comprehensive investment in central Mississippi’s network, focusing on the busy I-20/I-55 routes that have served as vital arteries for commuters, commercial traffic and freight movement for over 60 years.”
The project includes I-20 from Wiggins Rd. to just east of the Pearson Rd./SR 468 interchange, I-55 from McDowell Rd. to north of the High St. interchange (including cross streets and ramps), I-220 from I-20 to the Lynch St. bridge, U.S. 51 from I-55 to the end of state maintenance north of U.S. 80. Repairs to the 36 bridges include decks, beams, girder and epoxy joints. Structural work ranges from bridge deck overlays, rail replacement, shoulder widening, vertical clearance corrections, pile encasement and bearing replacement, among other improvements. Roadway work includes pavement rehabilitation, concrete punchout repairs, mill and overlay, drainage work, slide repairs, shoulder widening, concrete removal and replacement, guardrail replacement, slope repairs, geometry corrections, barrier replacement and other work items.
Officials said the project will last for approximately two and a half years. For the remainder of this year, the traffic impact will be minimal while most of the work will be performed at night and on weekends, when possible. The plans call for two 45-day full interstate shutdowns on I-20, the first in the summer of next year.
“We understand the two 45-day shutdown periods will be a major inconvenience. The alternative, performing this work under lane closures, would mean a timeline of years, not days,” MDOT Executive Director Brad White said. “Without this work, we’d likely be forced to lower weight restrictions or even perform emergency closures that would have a much more severe traffic impact for a longer period. Rest assured, we will provide advance notice, clearly marked detours and extensive public information leading up to the shutdown periods so that drivers, businesses and communities are prepared.”