News - Transportation

Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

MDOT to widen I-10 in D’Iberville area

The Mississippi Department of Transportation will begin a $12.8 million Interstate 10 widening project Monday, which will expand the road to eight lanes between D’Iberville and the first Ocean Springs exit.

MDOT says that by the end of 2010, the high-traffic road will be widened from six lanes to eight lanes from I-110 to the Mississippi 609 exit, a stretch of roughly four miles. From the Mississippi 609 exit to about one mile to the east, I-10 will have six lanes when the work is done. Past that point, the road will be four lanes.

Most of the time, while the construction is ongoing, drivers will have no less than two lanes in each direction, MDOT Gulf Regional Engineer Kelly Castleberry said. He said the interstate may be reduced to one lane in each direction for brief period, which will cause some traffic problems, but he believes the improvements will help traffic flow tremendously.

“As always, there will be some congestion and inconvenience while we’re getting it constructed, but after we get it done, I’m sure motorists will enjoy it,” Castleberry said.

During the first phase, shoulders of the road will be widened, and the outside lanes in both directions will be closed from I-110 to the Mississippi 609 exit, which will leave traffic mostly limited to two lanes in each direction during the upgrades. The first phase is expected to take three months. In the second phase, the new lanes will be added to the inside in both directions, which will leave six lanes open to traffic most of the time. The project also includes widening the Mississippi 609 overpass on I-10 to six lanes.

The stretch between I-110 and Mississippi 609 currently has six total lanes. Two in each direction were added quickly after Hurricane Katrina to handle extra traffic while the Biloxi-Ocean Springs Bridge was rebuilt. Engineers decided it was best to keep those lanes, which Castleberry said are often now used by drivers who are traveling between I-110 and Mississippi 609 on the interstate. Those lanes allow drivers to get to the next exit without merging with the faster moving I-10 traffic, which also helps traffic flow.

The I-10 widening will be handled by Mallette Brothers Construction Company, of Gautier, which Castleberry says has handled work for MDOT in Harrison and Jackson counties before.

Last week, MDOT also announced a host of resurfacing projects for roads in Harrison and Hancock counties. MDOT said a $7.9 million contract was awarded to Huey Stockstill Inc., of Picayune, for the road work, which is to begin this week.

In D’Iberville, Brodie Road, Bayshore Drive, 7th Avenue, D’Iberville Blvd., Lamey Bridge and Lemoyne Blvd. will be resurfaced. In Long Beach, Pineville, Beatline, Daugherty, Commission, Klondyke and Old Pass roads will be resurfaced, along with Railroad Street and Cleveland Avenue. I

n Gulfport, West Railroad, 28th Street, 30th Avenue, as well as Duckworth, South Swan, Pass, Tegarden and Three Rivers roads will be resurfaced.

Some of the work in Gulfport will be done at night, MDOT said.

In Hancock County, MDOT said Washington Street, Main Street, Old Nicholson Road and St. Francis Street will be repaved as part of the contract.

MDOT says the roadwork in those counties will be done in the summer of 2010.