MDOT to unveil plan to widen Interstate 20

VICKSBURG — Mississippi transportation officials are set to unveil plans to widen Interstate 20 to six lanes in Vicksburg.

The Vicksburg Post reports the Mississippi Department of Transportation will discuss the plans during a public meeting at the Vicksburg Convention Center.

MDOT also proposes to elevate the interstate in some areas and rebuild some interchanges.

MDOT’s plans are to add a lane to the interstate to make it three in each direction — between the Washington Street/Warrenton Road exit and the U.S. 61 North/Mississippi Highway 27 exit.

The plan also calls for overpasses at Halls Ferry Road, Clay Street and Wisconsin Avenue to be redesigned.

Traffic on the frontage roads would be turned one-way while lanes are widened, exits are reconfigured and detours are built.

“This is part of the closing of the environmental study,” said Kevin Magee, a MDOT engineer.

After the hearing, the study heads to the Federal Highway Administration and the state will move on to buying rights of way, moving utilities and, ultimately, construction, Magee said.

The total cost is expected to be $100 million.