Mississippi Transportation Commission Awards 14 Contracts
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The Mississippi Transportation Commission awarded 14 contracts for infrastructure projects at its recent meeting.
The three-member commission oversees the state’s transportation resources and supervises all modes of transportation related to highways, ports, aeronautics, public transit and railroads. The group meets twice a month at its offices in Jackson.
The awarded contracts represent projects in each of the commission’s three districts. MDOT will oversee the projects, which are meant to enhance and maintain the state’s transportation infrastructure network.
Altman
“These projects will make our highways safer and make Mississippi a better place to live and work,” MDOT Executive Director Jeffrey Altman said. “All of our projects, whether pavement overlays or bridge replacements, help ensure the businesses and people of Mississippi have efficient and reliable infrastructure for travel and transport of goods and services.”
Altman assumed the role April 1. MDOT’s previous executive director, Melinda McGrath, retired March 31 after a career with the agency that began in 1985.
The largest contract, for $5.2 million, was awarded to Talbot Brothers Contracting Co. Inc. and Talbot Brothers Grading Co. Inc. for a bridge replacement project. Specifically, the bridge carries state Route 4 over rail lines in Marshall County, which borders Tennessee and lies about 50 miles southeast of Memphis.
According to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, some 8.2% of Mississippi’s bridges are classified as structurally deficient.
These dedicated public servants help keep the traveling public safe in Mississippi. https://t.co/HhD5yxJZmI — MDOT (@MississippiDOT) May 26, 2021
In Lincoln County, which is about 40 miles north of the border with Louisiana, $1.7 million was awarded to Dickerson & Bowen Inc. for various safety improvements along state Route 583. Another $4.2 million was awarded to R&J Construction Inc. for intersection improvements in Wayne County, which borders Alabama.
King
“These projects will help MDOT continue to provide safe and reliable transportation to Mississippi’s traveling public,” said Tom King, chairman of the Mississippi Transportation Commission and commissioner of the southern district. “A robust transportation network is vital for economic development.”
Some $4.8 million was awarded to Warren Paving Inc. for a project to overlay 7 miles on U.S. Route 90. The project’s scope will encompass the stretch of route between state Route 57 and the Pascagoula River Bridge. U.S. 90 is an east-west route spanning from Jacksonville Beach, Fla., to Western Texas. The portion of U.S. 90 that will be treated in MDOT’s project is a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico.
A second contract, representing $3.5 million, was awarded to Warren Paving for overlay projects covering 8 miles of state Route 35 and 7 miles of state Route 13 in Marion County, which is in south-central Mississippi.
Mississippi transportation officials noted highway work zones may present new traffic configurations for drivers and provided information about how to navigate construction areas safely.
“Our No. 1 priority at MDOT is to keep the state of Mississippi safe,” said Willie Simmons, commissioner for the Mississippi Transportation Commission’s central district. “These projects are a major investment into Mississippi’s transportation infrastructure and the safety of the traveling public.”
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