Mississippi DOT pushes underground drainage, fiber conduit work statewide
NEWTON, Miss. (UI) — The Mississippi Department of Transportation is moving forward with several underground infrastructure upgrades across central Mississippi, including drainage improvements, buried conduit installation for fiber-optic systems, and electrical system upgrades tied to highway lighting.
Among the active projects is an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) installation along I-59/20 in Lauderdale County, where crews are boring underground conduit to support new fiber-optic lines. The work includes trenchless boring for conduit placement to connect traffic cameras and dynamic message signs along the corridor. The $3.7 million project is expected to be completed in fall 2026.
MDOT has also completed electrical repairs and underground system upgrades to roadway lighting on I-20 and I-55 in Hinds County, including LED conversions and the installation of an outage notification system designed to reduce service disruptions and deter wire theft. The $2.8 million project is now complete.
Drainage-related underground work continues as part of multiple bridge replacement projects on U.S. 80 in Newton and Lauderdale counties and U.S. 51 in Madison County. Crews are conducting subsurface water diversion, culvert replacement, and erosion control measures, including fabric placement and rip rap installation in Doaks Creek. The combined bridge and drainage program carries a budget of nearly $88 million and is scheduled for completion in fall 2028.
Additional underground drainage improvements are underway as part of roadway rehabilitation projects across central Mississippi, including cross-drain repairs, clearing of existing drainage structures, and joint and crack sealing beneath state-maintained highways.
“These projects will make travel conditions safer and extend the life of our transportation infrastructure,” said Mississippi Transportation Commission Chairman Willie Simmons. “Please be patient, slow down and stay alert so our crews can safely complete these projects as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
Related News
From Archive
- OSHA issues 16 citations following fatal sewer confined space incident
- 27 pipeline safety violations tied to deadly Pa. chocolate factory explosion
- Contractor gas line strike triggers home explosion in Missouri
- LA recovery reports call for $650 million power line burial, major utility upgrades in Pacific Palisades
- Comprehensive microtrenching FAQ: Key insights on the Vermeer MTR516 microtrencher
- T-Mobile to expand fiber broadband infrastructure footprint with $4.9 billion Metronet acquisition
- First tunnel boring machines complete testing for Hudson Tunnel Project
- NWPX grows water infrastructure portfolio with Colorado precast facility
- Cityside launches $100 million fiber build in Corona, Calif.
- FiberLight to build 1,400-mile West Texas dark fiber network in $350 million expansion
Comments