Signs naming the Zack Stewart Bridge over the Tallahatchie River in downtown New Albany were unveiled today.

Signs naming the Tallahatchie River Bridge in downtown New Albany for former Mississippi Commissioner of Transportation Zack Stewart were unveiled today.  The official ceremony naming the bridge for Stewart was held on September 12 at the Union County Heritage Museum, but, due to heavy rain, unveiling the signs was postponed until today.

Zack Stewart prepares to unveil sign at the Zack Stewart Bridge.

In November of 2021, businessman Mark Garrett appeared before the New Albany Board of Aldermen to support naming the bridge for Stewart. State Senator Chism had introduced legislation supporting the change to the legislature. The Board passed the resolution unanimously at the meeting.

Stewart, a native Mississippian and long-time resident of New Albany, served five terms as Transportation Commissioner for the Northern District of Mississippi. The bridge named in his honor was built during his tenure as Commissioner to replace a two-lane bridge that was no longer adequate for the traffic it carried.

In addition to his service as Transportation Commissioner, Stewart is widely recognized for his part in creating a roads program in the 1980s that built over 1000 miles of four-lane highways throughout Mississippi. Eventually, this program resulted in creating Interstate-22.

Two old friends and fellow warriors. Former State Representative John David Pennebaker and Former Northern District Transportation Commissioner Zack Stewart at the Friday ceremony designating Highway 78 as I-22.

In October of 2015 the ceremony changing the name of Highway 78 to I-22 was held in New Albany.  Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker commended Stewart and former State Representative John David Pennebaker, also from New Albany, for the hard work they did to bring I-22 and other Mississippi highways into existence.

On June 7, 2019, a section of State Route 15 North in Union County was named the “John David Pennebaker Memorial Highway.”

As stated years ago by NEMiss.News founder Jerry Shiverdecker, “Zack Stewart has spent a lifetime ‘making things happen’ for the benefit of Union County and all of Mississippi.”  We congratulate him upon the receipt of this well deserved honor.

More about Stewart and his life: Where is Troy Mississippi?