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Grants for infrastructure improvements will bring construction to the streets of Mississippi cities

As of June 27, 2023, Mississippi lawmakers have accepted 28.3 million dollars in project grants for improving road infrastructure in their state.

Through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program, $24.8 million will go to the city of Laurel, Mississippi to make improvements to the roads in the downtown area, while $3.5 million was granted to the city of Meridian, Mississippi for the completion of planning of North Hills Street. These grants were approved through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

“These grants are a significant investment and represent a major victory for Laurel and Meridian,” said U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) to WDAM7 News. “These projects will help make roads safer for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians alike, while also supporting economic growth. I will continue working with my colleagues to ensure our state’s transportation needs are met.”

Laurel, Miss., plans to use this grant for new roadways, including new water, sewage, drainage, and sidewalks, as well as better connecting U.S. Highway 84 East to West. Aging roadways will be improved and smoother access to Highway 84 will hopefully help their downtown areas flourish.

Handicap and wheelchair accessible ramps and sidewalks will also be installed.

Meridian, Miss., plans to use their $3.5 million in order to widen roads, reconfigure and realign existing intersections, add pedestrian and bicycle facilities, install traffic signals, create turn lanes, rehabilitate the existing pavement, and establish retaining walls along a seven mile stretch of North Hills Street.

Infrastructure improvement calls for barricades.

Once construction on these areas begins, barricades will become necessary to contain construction zones and protect pedestrians, drivers, and workers while construction is underway. They are the best way to keep all factions safe during development!

As always, we recommend plastic barricades for use in any traffic and construction areas – ones that form a continuous wall are even better! As gaps between cones or drums on the road often cause a delay in driver response, everyone can be kept safer when the line of sight and demarcation is more consistent/continuous. Plastic barricades are also safer than their concrete counterparts and easier to relocate if necessary. OTW traffic and construction barricades fill these needs and more!