Recently, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker and local officials joined Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert on a bus tour viewing progress along the construction of Interstate 269 in DeSoto County.
“I-269 will be a valuable asset, providing a safer and more efficient way for commercial vehicles to move goods through the region,” Tagert said. “As growth continues in DeSoto and Marshall Counties, this new interstate will be vital in promoting economic growth and development in the region.”
Interstate 269 will form a 30 mile loop around Memphis and will relieve traffic pressure on the Interstate 55/69 corridor and connect Interstate 40 and Interstate 55 in North Mississippi. Interstate 40 is a major cross-country freight route, and Interstate 69 will be an international connector between Canada and Mexico.
“From a safety standpoint, it’s going to be a big plus for people in the Mid-South area and North Mississippi,” Wicker said. “And, in terms of economic development, there’s really no way to measure the positive impact that this is going to have.”
This is the largest Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) construction project in the state. It is divided into eight individual projects, all of which are under construction and more than 50 percent complete.
One section of Interstate 269, from Highway 302 to the Tennessee state line in Marshall County, is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Interstate 269 is expected to be completely finished by fall 2018.
“This is more than just a bypass around Memphis,” Tagert said. “The construction of I-269 will transform the region by connecting local communities in several states and will have far-reaching international implications.”
For more information about this project or other traffic information, visit www.MDOTtraffic.com, download the MDOT Traffic mobile app in the App Store or Google Play store or call 511.
