Section 65-39-1 - Selection of road and bridge construction projects; feasibility studies; priorities(1) The Mississippi Transportation Commission is authorized, subject to the availability of funds in the Gaming Counties State-Assisted Infrastructure Fund created in Section 65-39-17, to conduct feasibility studies and, pursuant to information gathered in such studies, select routes and locations, perform preliminary engineering, acquire necessary right-of-way and property, construct and/or reconstruct and improve existing or new highways, roads, streets and bridges, including two-lane, four-lane and multilane roads (or segments thereof), perform intersection improvements, provide signal retiring, turnbay extensions, additional interchanges and other traffic modifications, within and approaching those counties in this state where legal gaming is being conducted or is authorized. Any highway, road, street or bridge that is authorized to be constructed, reconstructed or improved shall meet design standards established by the Mississippi Department of Transportation, shall be constructed to bear a load limit of at least eighty thousand (80,000) pounds and, upon completion, shall become a part of the state highway system, and thereafter shall be under the jurisdiction of the Mississippi Transportation Commission and the Mississippi Department of Transportation for construction and maintenance.(2) The projects authorized in subsection (1) of this section shall include, but shall not be limited to, highways, roads, streets and bridges on and along the following locations: (a) U.S. Highway 90 from its intersection with Mississippi 607 in Hancock County to Ocean Springs, and including Lakeshore Road in Hancock County from its intersection with U.S. Highway 90 to Beach Boulevard;(b) Mississippi 4 from U.S. Highway 61 to Mississippi 3;(c) Mississippi 4 from Mississippi 3 to Senatobia;(d) Cowan/Lorraine Road from U.S. Highway 90 to I-10;(e) U.S. Highway 49 from U.S. Highway 90 to I-10 in Gulfport;(f) Mississippi 304 beginning at the Tennessee state line at or near U.S. Highway 72 and thence running in a southwesterly direction to intersect with U.S. Highway 78 at or near Byhalia and thence running in a westerly direction to intersect I-55 at or near Hernando and thence running in a westerly direction to intersect with U.S. Highway 61 in DeSoto County, with a spur extending southwesterly to or near Robinsonville in Tunica County;(g) I-10 from Exit 28 to Exit 57;(h) A new location from the northernmost point on I-110 to U.S. Highway 49;(i) U.S. Highway 61 from the Tunica county line to the Tennessee state line;(j)(i) Four-lanes for traffic along Mississippi 16 beginning at its intersection with Mississippi 25 and extending easterly to join the existing four-lane on the west side of Carthage within the corporate boundaries;(ii) Passing lanes and turn lanes, as needed, along Mississippi 16 beginning at a point on the east side of Carthage within the corporate boundaries where the existing four-lane ends and extending easterly to the Leake/Neshoba county line; and(iii) Four-lanes for traffic along Mississippi 16 beginning at the Leake/Neshoba county line and extending easterly to not more than ten (10) miles east of Mississippi 15;(k) Cowan/Lorraine Road Extension from I-10 north to relocated/reconstructed Mississippi 67;(l) At various locations on and along U.S. Highway 82 and Mississippi 1 in the City of Greenville;(m) At various locations on and along I-20, U.S. Highway 61 and U.S. Highway 80 in the City of Vicksburg, including a truck route from Harbor Industrial Park to U.S. Highway 61 north and an extension of South Frontage Road with railroad bridge to I-20;(n) At various locations on and along U.S. Highway 61, U.S. Highway 65, Washington, Homochitto, Martin Luther King, Jr., St. Catherine and East Franklin Streets in the City of Natchez;(o) At various locations on and along U.S. Highway 90 in the City of Pass Christian;(p) Mississippi 43/603 beginning where the existing four-lane ends north of I-10 and extending northerly to a point approximately one (1) mile north of Kiln where Mississippi 43/603 divides into Mississippi 43 and Mississippi 603;(q) Mississippi 43 beginning where Mississippi 43 and Mississippi 603 divide and extending northwesterly to or near Picayune;
(r) U.S. Highway 49 from U.S. Highway 61 west to the Mississippi River bridge;(s) Subject to the conditions prescribed in subsection (3) of this section, a central Harrison County connector from I-10 to U.S. Highway 90 in the vicinity of Canal Road to the Mississippi State Port at Gulfport;(t) An east Harrison County connector from U.S. Highway 90 to I-10 to be located between the Cowan/Lorraine Road interchange and the I-110 interchange;(u) At various locations on, along and approaching U.S. Highway 90 in Harrison, Hancock and Jackson Counties, which the Mississippi Transportation Commission determines will alleviate traffic congestion in Harrison, Hancock and Jackson Counties; and(v) At various locations in the City of Natchez on, along and approaching U.S. Highway 61 (St. Catherine Street and Franklin Street), and including Mississippi Highway 555 beginning at Franklin Street and extending northerly and easterly to the Natchez Trace. (3) Authorization for the project described in paragraph (2)(s) of this section is conditioned upon receipt by the Mississippi Transportation Commission of a written commitment by the Mississippi Development Authority to make available for such project not less than Six Million Dollars ($6,000,000.00).(4) If a project authorized in this section is also included in the four-lane highway program under Section 65-3-97(3), then all contracts necessary to be let for the completion of the project under this section shall be let not later than the priorities established for the letting of contracts for the project under Section 65-3-97(3). Prioritization of construction for all other projects authorized in this section shall be conducted as provided for in Section 65-3-97(4).(5)(a) Funds for the projects authorized under this section may be provided through the issuance of bonds under Sections 65-39-5 through 65-39-33, through the issuance of notes for such purposes under Section 31-17-127 or from such monies as may be available in the Gaming Counties State-Assisted Infrastructure Fund created under Section 65-39-17.(b) In addition to the funds provided for under paragraph (a) of this subsection, funds for the project described in subsection (2)(s) of this section also may be provided from any available federal, state, county or municipal funds authorized for such project, including the Economic Development Highway Act.Laws, 1994, ch. 557, § 14; Laws, 1995, ch. 523, § 2; Laws, 1996, ch. 497, § 1; Laws, 1997, ch. 562, § 2; Laws, 2002, ch. 582, § 3; Laws, 2006, ch. 493, § 1; Laws, 2007, ch. 577, § 3, eff. 4/21/2007.