Eastbound I-20 backed up, east bound bridge work to complete this week

Listen to this article

Interstate 20 East is sporadically backing up to the Indiana Avenue exit and periodically has backed up to the Wisconsin Avenue overpass today.

Median work to remove trees near the eastbound scales has vexed traffic on I-20 for several weeks now. Today the backup is longer than normal.

Expect delays if you travel I-20 East in Vicksburg. Take an alternate route if you can. The backup is being caused by an MDOT contractor who is clearing trees in the median past Hwy 61.

“The median work clearing trees will take another 2 or 3 weeks. After that, we’ll move to clear the trees on the shoulders, said Eric Morgan with MDOT. “We’re clearing 50 feet from the Interstate and that will be mostly shoulder closures. We may have to close a lane occasionally, but nothing like right now.” The work to clear trees near the shoulder will start at 61 North and continue to the Big Black. Morgan estimates that work will take a couple of months.

Morgan and MDOT have been working on the I-20 overpasses since early 2022. “The joint repairs on those bridges, they’ll be done by the end of this week. And that will be the last of the eastbound work there in town.” Work will begin on the westbound lanes next week,” and Morgan projects, “…all the work should be done by Labor Day. We will have some work to do on the Old 27 overpass that may go on after Labor Day, but that won’t take but a week or so.”