MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
1997 Regular Session
To: Transportation; Rules
By: Representatives Cameron, Bailey, Straughter, Thornton
House Concurrent Resolution 61
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE MISSISSIPPI TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AND THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO CONSTRUCT A FOUR-LANE BYPASS ON AND ALONG UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 82 AT OR NEAR THE CITY OF GREENVILLE AT ONE OF TWO DESCRIBED LOCATIONS TO BE SELECTED BY THE MISSISSIPPI TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
Whereas, the Mississippi Legislature, during the 1992 Regular Session, passed Chapter 429, Laws of 1992, directing the Mississippi Department of Transportation to expend any available funds to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a United States Highway 82 bypass at or near the City of Greenville, Mississippi, utilizing exiting State Route 454; and
Whereas, on January 28, 1993, the Mississippi Department of Transportation presented a status report of the legislatively mandated study which planned a study of an alternative route "C" utilizing the existing State Route 454 as well as other alternative routes under the belief that Chapter 429, Laws of 1992, did not prohibit study of alternative routes; and
Whereas, on April 25, 1996, the Mississippi Department of Transportation held a public hearing in Greenville, Mississippi regarding the "Preliminary Environmental Assessment of the United States Highway 82 Greenville Project 79-0011-042-10 Washington County, Mississippi," in which the Mississippi Department of Transportation chose alternative route "D" (located approximately one mile north of alternative route "C") rather than alternative route "C" (utilizing State Route 454) as the preferred route; and
Whereas, the Washington County delegation of the Senate and House of Representatives appeared at the April 25, 1996 hearing and requested that alternative route "C" or locally amended alternative route "G" be designated as the preferred route, and the Greenville City Council, the Washington County Board of Supervisors and the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce presented resolutions requesting alternative route "C" or "G" as the preferred route; and
Whereas, the Legislature has been contacted and requested by an almost unanimous number of the residents in nearly 1,266 households affected by the proposed bypass to utilize either alternative route "C" or "G" for the bypass route due to the existence of wetlands and landfills located along alternative route "D", excessive noise levels and environmental disturbances that would be created by alternative route "D", and the lack of frontage access along alternative route "D" necessary to promote commercial or industrial development:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MISSISSIPPI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby memorialize the Mississippi Transportation Commission and the Mississippi Department of Transportation to construct a bypass on and along United States Highway 82 at or near Greenville, Mississippi, utilizing at the Transportation Commission's discretion, either alternative "C" or alternative "G", as more fully set out and described hereafter:
ALTERNATIVE "C"
Beginning on United States Highway 82 at the site for construction of the new Mississippi River Bridge south of Greenville, proceeding in a northeasterly direction approximately 0.6 miles, crossing Mississippi Highway 454 and turning in an easterly direction parallel to and north of existing Mississippi Highway 454, then continuing easterly approximately 4.8 miles to cross Mississippi Highway 1 just north of the Mississippi Highway 1 and United States Highway 454 junction, then turning in a northeasterly direction for 10.1 miles to intersect present United States Highway 82 in Leland and then running coincidently with United States Highway 82 for 1.6 miles to the east end of the interchange with United States Highway 61 in Leland, providing a connection to present United States Highway 82 just west of its intersection with Old United States Highway 61. This bypass project will include four interchanges: One at present United States Highway 82 at the Mississippi River Bridge; a second at Mississippi Highway 1; a third at a location between Mississippi Highway 1 and Leland, to be selected by the Mississippi Transportation Commission and the county engineer for Washington County; and a fourth connecting present United States Highway 82 in Leland.
ALTERNATIVE "G"
Beginning on United States Highway 82 at the site for construction of the new Mississippi River Bridge south of Greenville, proceeding in a northeasterly direction approximately 0.6 miles, crossing Mississippi Highway 454 and turning in an easterly direction parallel to and north of existing Mississippi Highway 454, then continuing easterly approximately 4.8 miles to cross Mississippi Highway 1, then turning northeasterly approximately 6.1 miles to a point near the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of Section 30, Township 18 North, Range 7 West, in Washington County, then turning easterly parallel to and approximately 1.0 mile south of existing United States Highway 82 for approximately 2.0 miles, then turning northeasterly for 2.4 miles to intersect present United States Highway 82 in Leland, then running coincidently with United States Highway 82 for 1.60 miles to the east end of the interchange with United States Highway 61 in Leland. This bypass project will include five interchanges to provide connections with United States Highway 82: One west of the intersection of Old United States Highway 61; a second near the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of Section 30, Township 18 North, Range 7 West, Washington County; a third approximately .5 mile southeast of the intersection of V.F.W. and Raceway Roads in Washington County; a fourth at present Mississippi Highway 1; and a fifth at present United States Highway 82 west of Greenville near the point of beginning.