Highway 11 widening to begin in August

Current Southern Highway Commissioner Tom King was in Picayune last Wednesday to officially announce the $25 million Highway 11 multi-phase widening project in Picayune. The project will be done in two phases.

According to King’s comments, Phase I construction will begin in less than 30 days and will be for the widening to a four lane roadway with a raised median from Lakeshore Drive at Hide-A-way Lake to Cayten Street. Phase II will from Cayten Street to the south side of the bridge at Boley Creek (Hobolochitto) and will include a new bridge to built to the east side of the existing bridge. The new bridge will have a barrier wall for a pedestrian walkway and the bridge will have lights.

Tom King (right) talking with Handy Cleaner's Jerry and Gloria Glidewell

Commissioner King, in responding to questions from the small audience, said the new highway will have curbs and have concrete inlets for drainage, but will not have sidewalks.

When asked about drawings for the project, King said they were available in the MDOT offices in Hattiesburg and Jackson. In another response, King said the project will take approximately three years to complete. Phase Two of the project will be let out for bids in the next eight to ten months from now and that project phase “will take a little while”.