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Massive Highway 49 construction project approaches finish line

Road project has gone on for years

Madeleine Nolan
Reporter
Massive Highway 49 construction project approaches finish line

Road project has gone on for years

THIS REOPENING COULD HELP. IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING. THE HIGHWAY 49 CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS COMING TO A COMPLETION. THE MASSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT TOOK ALMOST FIVE YEARS AND RECONSTRUCTED. 7.5 MILES OF U.S. 49 FROM RIDGELAND TO FLORENCE. OPENING SIX LANES IN BOTH DIRECTIONS JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST HEAVILY TRAVELED WEEKENDS OF THE YEAR. JULY 4TH WEEKEND. AND AS YOU KNOW, 49. IT’S A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE TO GO TO THE BEACH. SO ANYONE GOING TO THE BEACH, THIS THIS WEEKEND? WE’RE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT IT WILL BE IN THAT SIX LANE CONFIGURATION FROM THE TOP OF THE PROJECT IN RIDGELAND TO FLORENCE. AMBER RAYMOND, THE OWNER OF WILLOW, BLEW OFF OF HIGHWAY 49, SAYS IT’S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY THAT’S FINALLY COMING TO AN END. WE WERE THRILLED FOR IT TO BE COMING TO FRUITION AND SEEING IT ALL COME TOGETHER. I THINK IT WILL MAKE JUST LIFE A LOT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TRAVELING THROUGH AND THEN YOUR DAILY COMMUTERS AS WELL. RAYMOND AND OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS DUE TO THE PROJECT. ONE BEING THAT PEOPLE HAVE AVOIDED 49 ALTOGETHER TO GET AROUND THIS CONSTRUCTION. SO THEY’RE GO I THE BACK WAY AS THEY’RE GOING. OH 49 THEY’RE FINDING EVERY LITTLE SIDE ROAD THEY CAN. AND BECAUSE THEY’RE AVOIDING IT, THEY’RE FORGETTING ABOUT US. THEY’RE FORGETTING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY’RE NOT SEEING THEM EVERY DAY. WE ENDED UP LOSING A LOT OF SMALL, LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES DURING THE CONSTRUCTION. SO I THINK MORE PEOPLE WILL BE MORE APT TO START NEW BUSINESSES HERE. ACCORDING TO M-DOT, PAVING AND OTHER MINOR CLEANUP WORK WILL TAKE PLACE OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. THEN HIGHWAY 49 WILL BE FULLY
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Massive Highway 49 construction project approaches finish line

Road project has gone on for years

Madeleine Nolan
Reporter
Road construction on Highway 49 that seemed to go on forever is days away from completion.The end of the project, U.S. 49 from Richland to Cleary Road, opened to six lanes Friday. The Mississippi Department of Transportation said all six lanes of the highway will be fully open to traffic by the end of next week."This is one of the most heavily traveled weekends in the year — the July 4th weekend. And Highway 49 is a major thoroughfare to go to the beach, so if anyone is going to the beach this weekend, we're happy to report that it will be in that six-lane configuration from the top of the project in Richland to Florence," said Michael Flood, with MDOT.MDOT officials said the project began in the fall of 2017 and included the reconstruction of 7.5 miles of U.S. 49 from Florence to Richland. Once the finishing touches are complete, there will be three lanes and a shoulder in each direction.The completion of the project was announced by MDOT on social media as "the post you have been waiting for," and for business owners along the highway, it was certainly welcome news."We were thrilled for it to be coming to fruition, seeing it all come together," said Amber Raymond, owner of Willow Blu. "I think it will make life just a lot easier for people traveling through, and for your daily commute, as well."Flood said MDOT will stop construction all over the state for the holiday weekend.
RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. —

Road construction on Highway 49 that seemed to go on forever is days away from completion.

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The end of the project, U.S. 49 from Richland to Cleary Road, opened to six lanes Friday. The Mississippi Department of Transportation said all six lanes of the highway will be fully open to traffic by the end of next week.

highway 49
MDOT
Highway 49 at Cleary Road.

"This is one of the most heavily traveled weekends in the year — the July 4th weekend. And Highway 49 is a major thoroughfare to go to the beach, so if anyone is going to the beach this weekend, we're happy to report that it will be in that six-lane configuration from the top of the project in Richland to Florence," said Michael Flood, with MDOT.

MDOT officials said the project began in the fall of 2017 and included the reconstruction of 7.5 miles of U.S. 49 from Florence to Richland. Once the finishing touches are complete, there will be three lanes and a shoulder in each direction.

The completion of the project was announced by MDOT on social media as "the post you have been waiting for," and for business owners along the highway, it was certainly welcome news.

"We were thrilled for it to be coming to fruition, seeing it all come together," said Amber Raymond, owner of Willow Blu. "I think it will make life just a lot easier for people traveling through, and for your daily commute, as well."

Flood said MDOT will stop construction all over the state for the holiday weekend.