The Mississippi Department of Transportation said 2024 was another record setting year for infrastructure project investment.
According to the department, more than $1.2 billion in projects was approved in Fiscal Year 2024, a nearly four-fold increase over Fiscal Year 2022’s approval of $255 million. The department said the increase was due to an increase in funding, and an agency-wide focus on efficiency. The infrastructure investments cover repairing and replacing bridges, paving roads and making safety improvements.
“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,” Brad White, MDOT Executive Director, 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.”
The state received more than $220 million in federal grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation and from funds directed from Mississippi’s congressional delegation. Additionally, the state legislature increased the MDOT funding appropriation by $620 million, including supplements to MDOT’s capacity and maintenance programs.
The department said major projects are underway in every region of the state to increase traffic capacity due to a special appropriation directed to the department from the legislature in 2023.
Those projects include a $195 million project to widen and construct 10.5 miles of State Route 15 from Union County to Ripley, and to build a State Route 2 connector in Blue Mountain. Other projects include the construction of six bridges on State Route 8, the construction of nearly 16 miles of new four-lane highway from Leland to the Mississippi River bridge, and the expansion of State Route 19 from Tucker to Philadelphia in Neshoba County.