Jackson Jambalaya

 The Mississippi Department of Transportation issued the following statement. 

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is launching one of its most significant infrastructure investments in recent years with the I-20/I-55 Freight Corridors Improvement Project, better known as “The Big Fix.” 

“This transformative initiative will modernize some of the state’s most heavily-traveled corridors, enhancing safety, improving mobility and extending the life of many interstate bridges throughout the Jackson-metro,” said Mississippi Transportation Commission Chairman Willie Simmons. “The Big Fix represents a comprehensive investment in central Mississippi’s network, focusing on the busy I-20/I-55 routes that have served as vital arteries for commuters, commercial traffic and freight movement for over 60 years.”

The project includes I-20 from Wiggins Rd. to just east of the Pearson Rd./SR 468 interchange, I-55 from McDowell Rd. to north of the High St. interchange (including cross streets and ramps), I-220 from I-20 to the Lynch St. bridge, U.S. 51 from I-55 to the end of state maintenance north of U.S. 80. 

Project components include: 

• The rehabilitation and modernization of 36 bridges to strengthen and extend their life spans, improving long-term reliability. 
• The resurfacing or repair of 32 interstate miles, 16 in each direction totaling 121 lane miles overall, to provide a smoother, safer driving experience. 
• The installation of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technology that will further provide motorists with real-time travel information and traffic updates.

Repairs to the 36 bridges include decks, beams, girder and epoxy joints. Structural work ranges from bridge deck overlays, rail replacement, shoulder widening, vertical clearance corrections, pile encasement and bearing replacement. Other bridge work items include structural steel painting, fiber-reinforced polymer wrap application, along with cap cleaning and undersealing, among other work. 

Roadway work includes pavement rehabilitation, concrete punchout repairs, mill and overlay, drainage work, slide repairs, shoulder widening, concrete removal and replacement, guardrail replacement, slope repairs, geometry corrections, barrier replacement and other work items.  ITS and other miscellaneous work includes the installation of truss and pedestal-mounted Digital Message Signs (DMS), camera installation, fiber extensions, sign truss replacements, safety fencing, tree removal, Smart Work Zone technology and interchange landscaping, upgrading entrances into the City of Jackson at High St. and State St. 

The project is on track to begin this fall and will last for approximately two and a half years. MDOT has prioritized minimizing traffic inconvenience as much as possible. For the remainder of this year, the traffic impact will be minimal as most work will be performed via lane closures at night and on weekends when possible. 

Plans call for two 45-day FULL interstate shutdowns on I-20, one in each direction. The first is scheduled to take place on I-20 westbound in summer 2027. The second is scheduled on I-20 eastbound during summer 2028. 

“We understand the two 45-day shutdown periods will be a major inconvenience. The alternative, performing this work under lane closures, would mean a timeline of years, not days,” said MDOT Executive Director Brad White.  “Without this work, we’d likely be forced to lower weight restrictions or even perform emergency closures that would have a much more severe traffic impact for a longer period. Rest assured, we will provide advance notice, clearly marked detours and extensive public information leading up to the shutdown periods so that drivers, businesses and communities are prepared.”

During the full shutdown periods, critical work will take place, such as shoulder widening, end wall replacement and repair, barrier work and full depth pavement removal and replacement, among other work items. Performing this portion under lane closures would be extremely costly and significantly extend the project schedule due to the traffic control measures required.

“We’ve chosen to address all of these needs at the same time, reduce motorists’ encounters with construction and deliver the improvements much sooner. I look at it as two years instead of two decades,” said White. “This gets us better infrastructure sooner. Fewer years of recurring construction zones. A safer and more reliable metro interstate system. One that is prepared for modern growth and demand. This is what it’s all about.”

Repairs included on the 36 bridges includes decks, beams, girder and epoxy joints. Structural work ranges from bridge deck overlays, rail replacement, shoulder widening, vertical clearance corrections, pile encasement and bearing replacement. Other bridge work items include structural steel painting, fiber-reinforced polymer wrap application, along with cap cleaning and undersealing, among other work.

Roadway and corridor work includes pavement rehabilitation, concrete punchout repairs, mill and overlay, drainage work, slide repairs, shoulder widening, concrete removal and replacement, guardrail replacement, slope repairs, geometry corrections, barrier replacement and other work items. 

ITS and other miscellaneous work includes the installation of truss and pedestal-mounted Digital Message Signs (DMS), camera installation, fiber extensions, sign truss replacements, safety fencing, tree removal, Smart Work Zone technology and interchange landscaping, upgrading entrances into the City of Jackson at High St. and State St.  

MDOT and the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC) Yates-Key, A Joint Venture, lead a seven-party project development team spanning federal oversight, owner advisory, design and independent cost and inspection roles. The total anticipated cost of the project is approximately $400 million. 

Work zone safety is paramount. MDOT will work to keep lanes open whenever possible, carefully schedule the most disruptive work during timeframes supported by traffic data and communicate all closures and detours well in advance to ensure maximum safety. However, officials remind the public no matter how much is done to ensure the safety of these work zones, the safety of drivers and roadside workers is in your hands.

“Unfortunately, distracted driving continues at alarming rates, particularly along these interstate corridors. That is why it is imperative we all understand the importance of work zone safety, like staying off cell phones and not speeding, even when traffic is light. I implore you to do your part,” said White.

The public is encouraged to stay looped in on The Big Fix progress, lane closures and travel impacts at GoMDOT.com/TheBigFix. You can also get real-time traffic conditions across Mississippi by downloading the MDOT Traffic mobile app, visiting MDOTtraffic.com and following @MississippiDOT on social media. 

“This project shows that MDOT is not afraid of a challenge. We are extending the lives of our existing structures by 40 years and getting use out of the investment we made as a state over 60 years ago when these roads and bridges were built,” said Commissioner Simmons. “This level of construction work will be an inconvenience, but the long-term benefits, from safety and efficiency to economic development throughout the heart of Jackson, will be worth it tenfold for not only us, but many generations.”