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Excerpts of a press release from MDOT:

• State Route 9 Improvement Project •

The State Route 9 project begins at US 278/SR 6 and SR 9 interchange near Pontotoc and proceeds on new location to the east of existing SR 9 and reconnects near Sherman. This section of roadway covers approximately 10 miles.  This contract is a grade, drain, bridge, and pave project where traffic will be placed on the new section upon completion.  In order to accelerate the construction process, MDOT chose to use the Design- Build process.   Bids were received on May 9, 2011 with the Best Value Proposal submitted by Eutaw Construction Company with a contract amount of $87,468,382.  Work started on July 5, 2011, with an anticipated completion date of December 2012.  The contractor is approximately 75 percent complete, almost 30 percent ahead of schedule.

• State Route 15 Project in Union County •

A grade drain, bridge and pave project is under construction on State Route 15 in Union County from near King’s Creek, just south of New Albany to North Haven.  This project consist of a five-lane section from King’s Creek to near the northern city limits of New Albany, which will be paved as part of this project.   From the northern city limits to North Haven, grade, drain and bridge work will be done on the northbound lanes.  This project was let in April 2010 and is being performed by Talbot Bros. Construction and Talbot Bros. Grading, AJV.  The contract amount for this project is $17,998,452 and is approximately 65 percent complete.

• Highway 15: Grade and Drain Project •

A grade and drain project to construct two parallel lanes adjacent to existing Highway 15 from North Haven to the Tippah County line is underway.  A paving project will be let at the completion of this project where the new lanes will be paved and traffic placed on them as the existing roadway is upgraded.  This six-mile section was let in March 2011 to Colom Construction Company, Inc. of Ripley, MS.  The contract amount for this section is $5,644,285 and is scheduled for completion in August 2012.  Clearing, drainage, and grading work has begun and the project is approximately 90 percent complete.

• Highway 45 Project Nearly Complete •

A grade drain, bridge and pave project on Highway 45 from four miles south of U.S. 82 to U.S. 82 in Lowndes County, is underway and is approximately 98 percent complete.  Traffic has been placed on the newly-constructed southbound lanes in order to complete construction of the northbound lanes. This project was let in July 2009 with the work being performed by RaCon, Inc. and a contract amount of $17,143,125.

• U.S. 45 Grade, Drain and Bridge Project •

A project is underway on U.S. 45 from Carson Road to four miles south of U.S. 82 in Lowndes County which covers approximately 6.5 miles.  This project will be a grade, drain and bridge project to construct two parallel lanes.  A paving project will be let upon this project’s completion that will complete this section of four-lane highway.  The Contractor on this project is Racon, Inc. and has a contract amount of $9,444,594 and a projected completion date of September 28, 2012.  Construction of box culverts and bridges has begun.  Construction is approximately 70 percent complete.

• U.S. 45 Widening Project near Brooksville •

A project is underway on U.S. 45 from near Brooksville to Carson Road in Lowndes and Noxubee counties.  This project will be a grade, drain and bridge and pave project to upgrade approximately 6.4 miles of roadway where the two new lanes will be constructed parallel to the existing lanes.  This project was let in January of 2011 and awarded to Phillips Contracting Co., Inc., of Columbus, MS.   This project has a contract amount of $17,977,057 and has a projected completion date of July 2013.  The project is approximately 20 percent complete.

• U.S. 78 Rubblization Project in Desoto/Marshall Counties •

Construction is underway on the rubblization project on U.S. 78 between the Coldwater River and West Holly Springs exit in Desoto and Marshall Counties. Lehman Roberts Co., Inc., of Memphis, TN, was awarded the $39,978,826 project, which will use a process known as rubblization to crumble the existing concrete pavement into a new foundation for a new asphalt structure on top. In addition to the rubblization and asphalt pavement, other work including new guardrail, signing, pavement marking and drainage repairs will be completed in order to bring this section of U.S. 78 up to interstate standards. A traffic management center will also be installed on this project to provide motorists with up-to-the-minute information. Work has been going on since early 2011, and is approximately 33% complete.  The Contractor is currently working on the Barrow and Byhalia Creek Bridge end slabs, and preparing the shoulder material in the rubblization sections near these creeks for soil cement operations.   Concrete removal is also taking place west of the Byhalia Interchange.   It is expected for there to be possible night operations beginning as early as April.  All wide loads (12’ wide and wider) have been temporarily detoured onto Highway 178 from the Ingrams Mill interchange to the West Holly Springs interchange. Work is scheduled for completion in June 2013.

• U.S. 78 Rehabilitation Project in Marshall County •

MDOT continues to move forward with plans to upgrade existing U.S. 78 to interstate standards in preparation of the future I-22 designation. A project was let in May 2011 to Rogers Group, Inc. The $21,333,639 project will include overlaying the existing roadway, new pavement markings and signs, and upgrades to the median. In addition, the entrance and exit ramps at the West Holly Springs and Holly Springs interchanges will be extended to meet current interstate standards.   The contractor is currently installing drainage structures, fencing at the interchanges on the project, repairing failed concrete areas, and conducting earthwork operations to extend the entrance and exit ramps at the West Holly Springs and Holly Springs interchanges.  This work is expected to be completed in November 2012.

• I-269 in Marshall County •

Work is underway on the first section of I-269 in Marshall County. Tanner Construction Company, Inc. of Ellisville, MS, has been awarded a $19,524,520 contract for the construction of the first leg of I-269. This project is approximately 3.1 miles long and goes from just South of SR 302 to the Tennessee state line. Work completed under this contract will include clearing, earthwork, bridge construction, and drainage features. The paving work will be let under a separate contract in the future.  The contractor is currently installing drainage structures on the north and south sides of the I-269/Highway 302 interchange.   Earthwork operations are also ongoing on the north and south side of the I-269/Highway 302 interchange.  The project is approximately 27 percent complete with an expected completion date of October 2013.  In Mississippi, I-269 will begin at the Intersection of I-55 and I-69 north of Hernando, cross Highway 78 near Byhalia and continue northeast to the Tennessee state line. This project is one section of the planned nationwide I-69 project.

• SR 72 in Marshall County •

Work has begun on a project on SR 72 in Marshall County to widen and overlay approximately 12 miles from west of SR 302 to the Benton County line. Standard Construction Company Inc. of Germantown, TN, was awarded this $6,064,518 project.  The contractor has completed the trench widening, and shoulder material phase of the project, and now is beginning his leveling course followed by his surface course. This project is scheduled for completion in June 2012.

• Bridge Replacement on SR 349 in Marshall County •

Work has begun to replace a bridge just south of Potts Camp, on SR 349, in Marshall County. Talbot Brothers Construction and Grading, Inc. of Nesbit, MS, was awarded the $3,892,960 project. Clearing and grubbing operations have been completed, and detour bridge construction and earthwork operations are now underway. This project is scheduled for completion in October 2012.  

• Interstate 55 in Tate and Desoto counties •

White Construction of Cordova, TN, was awarded a safety project that includes clearing of the right way of trees that could potentially be hazardous to a vehicle leaving the road and installing cable barrier fencing and other safety items. The cable barrier fencing on this project will be installed on the outside shoulders of the roadway in order to protect motorists from leaving the roadway and entering the nearby water. The guardrail for the intersections is completed. The clearing is approximately 95 percent complete. Construction of the Right of Way fence is approx. 80 percent complete. Cable Barrier Rail is approximately 50 percent complete. The Contractor has submitted a claim for time extension on this $2,929,558 project which is under review by MDOT officials. It is currently estimated that the project may be complete by May 30, 2012.

• Bridge Replacement on SR 8 in Calhoun County •

A bridge replacement project in Calhoun County was recently awarded to Key, LLC, of Madison, MS. This $6,427,668 project includes replacing three bridges on SR 8 from Calhoun City to Derma.  Work began on March 6, 2012 with an expected completion date of October 2013.