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Orange cones forecast good things
Published Sunday, May 25, 2008
Just when you thought the year of orange traffic cones was behind you: they’re back!
In what looks to befuddle many of our minds when it’s fully completed, the Mississippi Department of Transportation has begun working to revamp the intersection of U.S. 61 and John R. Junkin Drive-U.S. 84 split.
MDOT has several Natchez projects under way — thanks no doubt to former Natchez mayor Larry L. “Butch” Brown, who now heads the state’s transportation department.
The work between Natchez Regional Medical Center and Tracetown Shopping Center will bring a state-of-the-art continuous flow intersection to our community.
Trying to explain how the traffic flow at the new intersection will work is a little like trying to describe the inner workings of the human brain.
Perhaps it’s best just to have a little faith and believe the traffic engineers who say the intersection will save us all time.
As the work gets cranked up, many of our daily commutes will become interrupted by the construction. And, just like the recent completion of the Natchez Trace terminus intersection with U.S. 61, the work will likely seem as if it will never end. But it will.
And when it does, we’ll have a great new intersection. We’ll all need a little patience as the work progresses, and we should be thankful for the investment MDOT is making in our community.
Comments
Posted by oldsaw (anonymous) on May 25, 2008 at 1:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wait....wasn't it the Democrat's editoral board who said these types of road projects were "welfare" projects? I guess it is all about who brings them.
Posted by kcooper (Kevin Cooper) on May 25, 2008 at 8:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
oldsaw: I think the difference is that these are highways, under the responsibility of MDOT, not city streets.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 25, 2008 at 9:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
But they happen to be highways in Natchez.
The difference is, MDOT is a division of AMDOT which gets federal funds, a federal-state partnership. Getting off that welfare requires changes in state and federal legislation.
For Natchez streets to get off welfare means taxes must go up in the City of Natchez. This can be achieved through local legislation. Natchezians need to pay more taxes.
Posted by oldsaw (anonymous) on May 25, 2008 at 10:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
No Kevin Cooper, it's the same. The money for the city streets comes from the state fund earmarked for city streets affected by gaming. It comes from the same source, the state.
Posted by johnwentworth (anonymous) on May 25, 2008 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
EnKiKur, do you live in Natchez? Obviously not if you think our taxes need to be raised. We already have some of the highest tag prices in the entire state.
Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on May 25, 2008 at 6:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No john, I don't. I was just pointing out the point of the story oldsaw was referring to. Get ready though, regarding taxes you haven't seen anything yet.
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on May 25, 2008 at 10:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If the wrong administration goes in in Washington-Taxes will definately go up on the Federal Level! Plans are already on the "Drawing Boards"!
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