Rankin First | Economic Development Authority | P.O. Box 129 | Brandon, MS 39043 USA | 601-825-5335
RANKIN COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI
| 601-825-5335

Gunter Nears Phase Two Bids

Oct. 5, 2022

Source: Rankin County News

RANKIN - With one half of reconstruction underway on a southwest Rankin County road, officials are working to launch Phase Two of the project.

Gunter Road runs from Highway 49 on the west to Highway 469 on the east.

The road will be realigned for safety purposes, hills and curves will be reduced, drainage will be improved, and shoulders will be created or improved along its entire length.

New striping and installation of new road signs will cap the project.

The narrow, hilly, curvy road has been in need of reconstruction for years. A recent court hearing resolved a standoff with a rural water association that refused to move its lines, which will allow Phase Two to move forward.

The water line relocation will be included in the bid package for Phase Two, and after the work is completed, a Chancery Court judge will determine an equitable division of costs between the Southern Rankin Water Association and the county.

"It's been frustrating," said District One Supervisor Jared Morrison, who represents the area. "This has slowed the project down, because they were suppoed to handle it, and they didn't handle it. So now we're having to take over.

"(Southern Rankin) estimated that it would cost $400,000, and we offered to pay half of that. It could be more and it could be less, because they were figuring thier engineering fees into that estimate. Thier procrastingation will increase the cost of the project, and will cost them more money, if they have to pay thier percentatge. The cost has risen from $250,000 to $400,000, which is what they're estimating now."

That issue aside, "thye're working on (Phase One)," Morrison said. "We've had some really good weather for it. Once the rain moved out, this time of year is perfect for that kind of work. The area where they're working now is where the realigned road will tie-in with Highway 469. It's my understanding that it's designed to create better sight lines in each direction for people turning from Gunter onto 469.

"And the intersection where Briarhill Road comes into Gunter will also be realigned and improved. That's a really dangerous intersection, where Briarhill enters Gunter. If you're on Briarhill, you can't see (oncoming cars) to your left. There's a hill right there.

Phase One of the project runs from Highway 469 to a point just east of Shenandoah Drive. Phase Two work will begin thiere and extend to the point where the Mississippi Department of Transportation reconfigured Gunter Road's intersection with Highway 49.

All of the needed right-of-way for the entire Gunter Road project has been acquired, and trees have been cleared through both the Phase One and Phase Two segments. Hemphill Construction Co. Inc. is the Phase One contractor.


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