HWY 49 Ribbon Cutting Debuts

Aug. 10, 2022

Source: Charles Bailey, Rankin County News

Highway 49 Ribbon Cutting - MDOT Central District Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons and Governor Tate Reeves cut the ribbon officially marking the completion of a $253 million widening project from Richland through Florence on Highway 49 South.

RICHLAND- Under sweltering conditions, state and local officials gathered in Richland for a ribbon-cutting officially marking the completion of a widening project that extends from Interstate 20 to a point just past Highway 469 in Florence.

The widening of 7.5 miles of Highway 49 cost $253 million. It was overseen by the Mississippi Department of Transportation(MDOT), and W.G. Yates and Son Construction Company served as the project's contractor.

"Today is a great day for this community, its citizens and the 51,000 vehicles that travel this corridor every day." MDOT Central District Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons said.  "Since November 2017, MDOT has worked to bring progress to this area, which created inconvenience while making improvements. Wihtout that inconveninece, and patience, and public finance, this would never have happened." 

The project widened Highway 49 from four to six lanes, with a new lane running in both directions. Traffic signals were added and some intersections were realigned for safety. An average of 51,000 vehicles per day travel on Highway 49 through Richland, and approximately 34,000 per day pass through Florence.

"Highway 49 is now open!" Richland Mayor Pat Sullivan said. "And we are open for business here in Richland, and in Florence. Thank you all for having the patience to go along with this project. I'm looking forward to all of the economic growth that is going to happen here in Richland and in the City of Florence.  The City of Richland has over 500 businesses, and the majority of businesses on our north end have already expanded. I'd also like to thank all of our city employees who have been working through this (construction). Every day, we got phone calls (about the inconvenience), and they have been working tirelessly."

"This has been a project that's been a long time coming," District One Supervisor Jared Morrison said. "This is the beginning, I think, of the future of the south end (of the county). There is so much property down here between the cities of Richland and Florence that has been sitting here waiting for an opportunity to develop."

Governor Tate Reeves was the event's final speaker.  "I grew up on Friday nights spending a lot of time in (Richland's) McDonald's parking lot, and as someone who literally learned how to drive going back and forth on Highway 49, this is a special day," he said. "Progress is sometimes difficult, and for those who have labored during this tenure, I want to say that we always knew today would eventually come, but I'm so honored and so glad that it has come."