DOT opens up 49W
A great time-saver for motorists
by Chip Mabry
DBJ Contributing Writer
Drivers on 49W probably have noticed a new two-lane route from Yazoo City to Belzoni. The new highway expansion cuts
seven miles from the commute from Yazoo City to Belzoni. And that’s not all. In June, the new route will be opened to fourlane
traffic, thus further cutting the drive time for commuters.
The $75-million project begun in 2002 is part of the Mississippi Legislature’s 1987 Highway Program (commonly called
AHEAD) to expand to four lanes U.S. 49 from Jackson to Indianola. “The legislature handed down a mandate to make this a four
lane highway,” said Walter Lyons, District Engineer MDOT District III - Yazoo City. “It was decided to build a brand new four
lane route rather than improve the existing highway. This will offer a clear and convenient route for Delta residents traveling
to Jackson. This will also take drivers through Yazoo City, hopefully creating an economic impact for it and the surrounding
areas.”
“The four-laning of Silver City to Yazoo City will be another milestone in a long journey that began in 1986, when the leadership
of the Mississippi Delta, under the auspices of Delta Council, began working with other areas of the state to address our
critical needs in highway transportation,” added Frank Howell, Director of the Delta Council Development Department.
Howell pointed to two major positives from the project: first, it will eventually cut fifteen minutes off the time it takes to
get from the Delta to Jackson, and, second, the four-lane system should be much safer than the existing situation. Also, Howell
points to many areas that will directly benefit from economic growth that the new highway should generate, including Belzoni,
Indianola, Leland, Cleveland, Greenville, and Clarksdale. “A direct four-lane access to Jackson and Interstates 20 and
55 is vital to these communities,” said Howell.
Dick Hall, Transportation Commissioner (Central District), recently traveled the new highway for the first time and
declared the highway a triumphant success. “Whenever I speak to a civic group in the Delta there is always one overriding
question, ‘when is the new 49 project going to be completed’,” said Hall.
Hall agrees that economic development will be the upshot of the project. “Safety and convenience are added pluses,” said
Hall, “but it is economic development that will be the legacy of this project. The Delta has been miserably short of transportation
infrastructure and the new highway 49 and the upcoming I-69 project will have major impacts on commerce.” Hall’s
office reports that many businesses have already inquired about completion of the project and that the highway expansion itself
is a powerful selling point to prospective businesses.
“The Delta faces two major obstacles in creating economic development - education and transportation,” said Hall. “Education
may take more time, but the DOT is handling the transportation issue today.”
Hall added that while riding in Governor Haley Barbour’s motorcade during the January 2004 inauguration parade, dozens
of Delta residents shouted their blessings and gratitude for completion of the project. “Several issues kept this from being
finished two years ago, but the current contractor has done an exceptional job overcoming many obstacles,” concluded Hall.
Go to four different points in the Delta and you’ll likely get four different routes to Mississippi’s Capitol. These paths travel
country roads, two-lane highways and often offer more dangerous travel than any other part of the state. It’s this travel
discrepancy that often leads to the Delta’s feeling of being a “state within a state” and unfairly separated from other areas
— especially Jackson. The four-lane Highway 49 project will go a long way in alleviating this problem by offering smooth, safe
travel to all of the Delta’s residents. DBJ
