U.S. Highway 49 project nearly complete in Rankin County

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is nearing the completion of a major reconstruction project on U.S. Highway 49 in Rankin County.

Currently, both directions of U.S. 49 are in the six-lane configuration from the end of the project in Richland to Cleary Road. Crews anticipate the roadway being opened to six lanes from the end of the project through Florence by tomorrow, Friday, July 1. Plans call for all six lanes being fully opened to traffic by the end of next week.

“We are happy to announce that this reconstruction project is almost finished, however we ask everyone to remain cautious when traveling the area as there will still be workers and daily lane closures,” said Central Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons. “After next week, crews will have traffic opened back up to six lanes following the daily lane closures. These lane closures are necessary for crews to finish paving shoulders and turn lanes at intersections throughout the project.”

The massive infrastructure improvement project calls for the reconstruction of 7.5 miles of U.S. 49 from Florence to Richland. Work began in the fall of 2017 and remains on track to be completed by late summer 2022. Once complete, there will be three travel lanes and a shoulder in each direction.

Highway work zones are meant to protect the traveling public and the highway workers on the side of the road. Highway work zones can be found throughout the state and often present unfamiliar traffic conditions. Examples of common work zones found on Mississippi highways and a complete list of tips can be found at GoMDOT.com/drivesmartms.

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