According to Commissioner Charles Busby of the Southern District Transportation, the cost of expanding I-10 to six lanes from Diamondhead to Long Beach is estimated at $155 million. He further stated that the entire I-10 corridor requires this upgrade. WLOX News reported this development.
He said that there is a need to widen I-10 all the way across Mississippi, from Louisiana to Alabama.
Busby, the official in charge of Mississippi’s transportation, has pointed out that the Gautier to the Alabama line section of the interstate is in need of widening. Even though a large part of the interstate in Harrison and Jackson counties is already six lanes, there is a bottleneck in Pascagoula that is causing problems.
“He explained that the Pascagoula River Bridge would pose a significant challenge, making that particular stretch of the road very costly. At this point, he is uncertain about the best course of action. One potential solution could be constructing another two-lane bridge and implementing a toll system for its use.”
According to Busby, the Pearl River Bridge into Louisiana faces a similar problem. Transforming the bridge into six lanes would require a huge investment of millions of dollars. Despite connecting both states, the responsibility of funding falls on Mississippi.
According to the speaker, many people may not be aware of how the bridge responsibilities are divided. As per the protocol, the first bridge, which is the Highway 90 bridge, falls under the jurisdiction of Louisiana. The second bridge, located on I-10, is the responsibility of Mississippi. This pattern continues as one moves forward, and the responsibilities get alternated. The speaker emphasized that both states have to fulfill their responsibilities, and Mississippi needs to play its part in repairing the Pearl River Bridge. Similarly, Louisiana must take care of the Highway 90 bridge that is currently closed.
In 2022, the Highway 90 bridge leading to Louisiana was shut down as it was deemed unsafe for travel by inspectors. Louisiana lawmakers have acknowledged that the state currently lacks the funds required to replace the bridge, and it could take up to five years before the much-needed work begins.
According to Busby, the Mississippi Lottery has been instrumental in addressing the repair and construction of roads and bridges, while Louisiana continues to explore means of financing for similar projects.
According to the speaker, the lottery funds were specifically earmarked to support the maintenance program. As a result, a significant amount of repaving work, especially on Highway 49, was made possible due to the lottery money.