Mississippi Dept. of Transportation (Photo from MDOT Facebook page)
- A staffing shortage at the Department of Transportation has resulted in roads in the northern district going uncut as the start of August looms, Commissioner John Caldwell said.
A staffing shortage in the Mississippi Department of Transportation is leading to some roads in the northern district of the state to go without grass maintenance while in the southern district a closed road due to necessary storm damage repairs is causing travel issues.
Those points were part of the discussion at the recent Transportation Commissioners’ meeting.
Northern District Transportation Commissioner John Caldwell (R) described how roads that are mowed by MDOT employees are falling behind in maintenance efforts going into August.
“We’re doing pretty good with our contractors, they’re cutting pretty well on schedule. But the places where we have to do it ourselves, our shorthandedness is putting us really behind,” Caldwell said. “I still have highways up here that haven’t been hit once yet, and that’s an issue.”
Caldwell also used his to inquire as to what MDOT can do to have more control of when contracts such as for bridge work and repairs start and conclude, adding that he has been getting complaints from legislators seeking updates.
“I don’t have a handle or an answer for some of these legislators that are calling to say, ‘Hey, I need to get an update on this,'” Caldwell said.
He said he understands that weather and the additional days MDOT allows for projects are a factor.
In the southern district, necessary repairs to Highway 26 due to the heavy rain events in June are clashing with work to the Roy Cumbest Bridge along Wade Vancleave Road.
“It’s creating a major, major inconvenience for people in that area,” Southern District Commissioner Charles Busby (R) explained. “I would just ask you to give it your greatest urgency, please, so that we can get that Highway 26 repaired and open again.”
MDOT Executive Director Brad White said Highway 26 repairs are high on the department’s priority list.
“I think our plan is already to move as expeditiously as possible and that would more than likely be an emergency contract that’ll be done for the commission to ratify after the fact,” White explained.
Central District Commissioner Willie Simmons (D) took a moment during Tuesday’s meeting to talk about projects but focused on thanking MDOT staff and contractors for their efforts to complete work along three major corridors. Simmons said opening the corridors prior to the upcoming harvest season is crucial to minimize the impacts caused by the increase in large truck traffic.
Those projects included bridge work along Highway 12 in Humphreys County, Highway 8 in Sunflower County, and three bridges along Highway 149 in Yazoo County.
Simmons said he is grateful to hear the projects are complete or close to completion.
“We’ve been getting a lot of hits on that in the past and those thee corridors [being open] are going to be very helpful,” Simmons said.
