MDOT affirms commitment to pave to New Albany city limits

New Albany, MS— Questions about how much of Bankhead Street (Highway 178) would be re-paved by the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) have been resolved.

Aldermen asked at the monthly New Albany Board of Aldermen meeting, August 2, whether or not the new paving would go all the way to the western city limits. Apparently, some information, possibly from MDOT, had given rise to the belief that the paving would stop at Glenfield Road, about eight-tenths of a mile east of the city limits.

Mayor Tim Kent responded at the meeting that he believed MDOT had promised to pave all the way to the city limits, but that he would check with MDOT. NAnewsweb.com, in its report on the city board meeting, cited a verbal commitment by Northern District Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert on October 23, 2016, to  re-pave Bankhead Street/Hwy 178  all the way to the city limits. MDOT re-paved Bankhead Street/Hwy 178 from the eastern city limits to Highway 15 two years ago.

Mayor Kent did contact MDOT and told NAnewsweb.com earlier this week that MDOT had clarified the confusion and affirmed it would pave all the way to the western city limits. MDOT reiterated that promise in a press release we received Friday, August 12th.

This rough section and all of Bankhead St./Highway 178 from Highway 15 to the western city limits will be milled and re-paved starting next week.

The press release states that the work to mill and overlay about three miles of the roadway from Highway 15 to the western city limits will begin  this coming Monday, August 15th.

“Rehabilitation of pavement is one of our main concerns in District One,” said MDOT District One Engineer Mark Holley. “These maintenance projects will extend the life of the roadway, while also increasing the safety of the traveling public in Pontotoc and Union Counties.”

There will be alternating lane closures on Bankhead St./Highway 178 while the work is done. Flagmen will be present, and motorists are encouraged to obey all advance warning signs, slow down when approaching and traveling through the work zone and avoid distractions, such as texting.

MDOT says some of the work on Highway 178 through downtown New Albany will be done at night.

MDOT will also start milling and overlaying about 10 miles of Highway 15 in Pontotoc County, from the Chickasaw County line north to State Route 41, on the same date.

“As MDOT continues to work with limited available funding for new construction, system preservation projects, like these overlays, become increasingly important in maintaining our infrastructure,” said Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert. “Our number one goal is the safety of the traveling public, and these projects demonstrate that part of MDOT’s mission.”