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.”
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