I-69 public hearings soon to begin in Delta
Officials hope for good turnout in order to move project forward

by ALAN TAYLOR
DBJ Contributing Writer

County officials and civic leaders across the Delta are encouraging a strong turnout for two December public hearings on the proposed Interstate 69. In Bolivar County, the meetings are to be held at the Ray Brooks School in Benoit on December 13 and at the Bolivar County Expo Center Annex on December 14. Each meeting will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“I-69 would be the greatest economic boost imaginable for Bolivar County,” says Dean Morganti, Economic Development Assistant with the Cleveland-Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce. “We hope our citizens will attend these public hearings and show support for the central route alternative, which we believe offers the greatest economic impact potential for both our Bolivar County communities and other towns along the route.”

The recently released draft environmental impact study (EIS) will be discussed at the hearings, she reports. All comments made at the hearings, or submitted via cards that will be available at the meetings, will be reviewed during a 30-90 day comment period, and will become a part of the final EIS document.

The proposal to build a new interstate highway to connect Canada with Mexico is slowly moving forward. Earlier this year, a site near Benoit was selected as the location for the Great River Bridge, which has been designated as the official I-69 Mississippi River crossing.

Three route alternatives are under consideration for the section of the highway between Robinsonville and Benoit. What is called the eastern alternative passes generally through Coahoma and Sunflower counties, east of Cleveland. The second, or central, alternative basically follows the existing route of Highway 61 to Merigold before turning southwest and crossing Highway 8 just outside Cleveland. The third proposed route stays west of Highway 61 from the new Clarksdale bypass to a point north of Highway 8, then follows essentially the same route as the central alternative.

The central route is favored by Bolivar County officials for several reasons, says Bob Eley, Executive Director of the Cleveland-Bolivar Country Industrial Development Foundation. “The number one reason is its close proximity to all the towns along Highway 61. The other alternatives pass through rural land in the middle of nowhere.

“We believe the central alternative is a more balanced route that provides more potential for more towns,” he continues. “Another major point is that the central route would be, by far, the least expensive route—approximately $60 million cheaper.”

Adds Lucy Janoush, a member of the Board of Directors of the I-69 Mid-Continent Highway Coalition, “The facts show that the central route is not only cheaper, but would also have less environmental impact, disturb less wetlands, and serve more of the population.

“The central route follows the existing Highway 61, an area that already has a lot of development. This means it would be less disruptive to existing farms and other private lands, and less right-of-way would have to be purchased. And, economic studies have shown that if you build an interstate where there is little development, the economic impact is minimized.”

Another important consideration is traffic flow. Says Eley, “The Rosedale industrial park and the Port of Rosedale get a lot of truck traffic, and we hope that will increase as business expands. With the eastern alternative, for example, that traffic would most likely come right through Cleveland. And, towns along the new route of Highway 61 already have access roads underway. If the interstate is located several miles further away, rather than along the route of Highway 61, these communities would have to build new access roads.”

As Janoush points out, there will be objections to the various alternatives. “Farmers and other landowners will have concerns about how the interstate will affect their land. But again, the central alternative is along an existing route, and while it will affect some farms, it is the least disruptive route.”

Adds Eley, “The Chamber is working with MDOT and farmers to mitigate some of the objections, and we’ve been trying to educate the public on the advantages of the central route.

“Most of the municipalities, the Board of Supervisors, the City of Cleveland, and other elected officials—including Representative Bennie Thompson—have commented favorably on the central route alternative. Now it’s important that the public attends these hearings and voices their opinions.”

For information on other I-69 meetings scheduled in the Delta, contact your local Chamber of Commerce of the MS Department of Transportation in Jackson. DBJ