Pothole repairs are causing I-10 backups again on MS Coast. Here’s how long they’ll last

Traffic in an often-congested part of Interstate 10 slogged again on Friday while construction crews fixed potholes that cracked part of the road, the Mississippi Department of Transportation said.

Crews racing to repave several spots between Menge Avenue and Vidalia Road closed the right westbound lane, said Anna Ehrgott, a public information officer for MDOT. The agency extended the closure until 4:30 p.m.

Westbound traffic stretched from Vidalia Road to County Farm Road, an MDOT traffic map showed. The eastbound lanes were clear.

Friday’s backup was the second round of delays this week. Drivers slogged for hours in both directions on Wednesday after an 18-wheeler crash and heavy rain.

It was also the latest time this month a pothole repair has stymied traffic.

MDOT is adding one lane to each direction of the interstate between Diamondhead and County Farm Road. Crews have widened the shoulder this month to shift traffic while they work in the median. But a drain beneath the shoulder cannot withstand the weight of large trucks. Heavy trucks that take the right lane put too much pressure on the drain, which has created the potholes.

“Heavy truck traffic really needs to stay in the left lane,” Ehrgott said earlier this month.

Drivers have faced regular backups in the area since construction began last summer. Harrison County is finishing a project that replaced the Menge Avenue bridge, which crosses I-10 at Exit 24. Crews have also widened the ramps to prepare for more traffic at a Buc-ee’s Travel Center that will open next year at the exit.

Construction to expand the interstate will continue for at least two years. The Menge Avenue bridge will reopen on Monday.

This story was originally published November 15, 2024 at 10:55 AM.