Photo courtesy Mississippi Department of Transportation.A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the opening of the final nine miles of Interstate 269 in Mississippi between Interstate 55 in DeSoto County and State Route 305 in Marshall County.
“We are excited to complete this major construction project,” said Commissioner Mike Tagert, Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT), Northern Transportation District, in a press release. “After seven years of construction, Interstate 269 is now officially open to the traveling public.”
Construction of the approximately $640 million project began in 2011 and consisted of 26 miles of four-lane, controlled-access highway. Workers moved nearly 14 million cubic yards of dirt, laid about 863,000 tons of asphalt, constructed 45 bridges consisting of over 92,000 cubic yards of concrete, and applied 286 miles of striping.
The first segment of I-269, from the state line to State Route 302, opened in 2015. The second segment from State Route 302 to State Route 305 opened in 2017. The third and final segment opened on Friday, October 19.
“We are truly proud of the I-269 project,” Tagert said in the press release. “It will increase mobility, boost commerce and help relieve congestion throughout the region. Interstate 269 represents a huge asset for the region. The quality of our infrastructure impacts our quality of life and factors into economic development. Increased mobility, connectivity and commerce will lead to more investment and more jobs in the region.”
The I-269 project is part of a larger Interstate 69 corridor and part of the 1,600-mile highway proposed as a connector between Canada and Mexico.
