MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Transportation

By: Representative Janus

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 65-39-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ASSIGN CERTAIN DUTIES OF THE MISSISSIPPI TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION RELATING TO FEASIBILITY STUDIES UNDER THE GAMING COUNTIES INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM AFFECTING CERTAIN PROJECTS ON THE GULF COAST TO THE CITIES OF GULFPORT AND BILOXI, THE COUNTY OF HARRISON AND THE HARRISON COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION; TO MAKE CERTAIN REVISIONS TO THE LIST OF PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THE GAMING COUNTIES INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM AND TO EXEMPT THOSE PROJECTS FROM THE REQUIREMENT THAT ALL PROJECTS UNDER THE PROGRAM BE PERFORMED ACCORDING TO CERTAIN PRIORITIES; TO AUTHORIZE ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR SUCH PROJECTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 65-39-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

65-39-1. (1) (a) The Mississippi Transportation Commission is authorized, subject to the availability of funds in the Gaming Counties State-Assisted Infrastructure Fund created in Section 65-39-17, to conduct feasibility studies and, pursuant to information gathered in such studies, select routes and locations, perform preliminary engineering, acquire necessary right-of-way and property, construct and/or reconstruct and improve existing or new highways, roads, streets and bridges, including two-lane, four-lane and multi-lane roads (or segments thereof), perform intersection improvements, provide signal retiring, turnbay extensions, additional interchanges and other traffic modifications, within and approaching those counties in this state where legal gaming is being conducted or is authorized. Any highway, road, street or bridge that is authorized to be constructed, reconstructed or improved shall meet design standards established by the Mississippi Department of Transportation, shall be constructed to bear a load limit of at least eighty thousand (80,000) pounds and, upon completion, shall become a part of the state highway system, and thereafter shall be under the jurisdiction of the Mississippi Transportation Commission and the Mississippi Department of Transportation for construction and maintenance.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection, with regard to the projects authorized under subsection (2)(s) and subsection (2)(t) of this section, the Mississippi Transportation Commission, within sixty (60) days from the effective date of this act, subject to the availability of funds, shall delegate to the City of Gulfport, the City of Biloxi, the County of Harrison or the Harrison County Transportation Commission the authority, with regard to the projects authorized in subsection (2)(s) and subsection (2)(t) of this section, to conduct feasibility studies, select routes and location, perform preliminary engineering, acquire necessary right-of-way and property, construct and/or reconstruct and improve existing or new highways, roads, streets and bridges, including two-lane, four-lane and multi-lane roads (or segments thereof), perform intersection improvements, provide signal retiring, turnbay extensions, additional interchanges and other traffic modifications. Such projects, however, shall meet design standards established by the Mississippi Department of Transportation for state aid roads or for major urban thoroughfares, shall be constructed to bear a load limit of at least eighty thousand (80,000) pounds and, upon completion, shall thereafter become a part of the state highway system under the jurisdiction of the Mississippi Transportation Commission and the Mississippi Department of Transportation for construction and maintenance.

(2) The projects authorized in subsection (1) of this section shall include, but shall not be limited to, highways, roads, streets and bridges on and along the following locations:

(a) U.S. Highway 90 from its intersection with Mississippi 607 in Hancock County to Ocean Springs, and including Lakeshore Road in Hancock County from its intersection with U.S. Highway 90 to Beach Boulevard;

(b) Mississippi 4 from U.S. Highway 61 to Mississippi 3;

(c) Mississippi 4 from Mississippi 3 to Senatobia;

(d) Lorraine-Cowan Road from U.S. Highway 90 to I-10;

(e) U.S. Highway 49 from U.S. Highway 90 to I-10 in Gulfport;

(f) Mississippi 304 beginning at the Tennessee state line at or near U.S. 72 and thence running in a southwesterly direction to intersect with U.S. 78 at or near Byhalia and thence running in a westerly direction to intersect I-55 at or near Hernando and thence running in a westerly direction to intersect with U.S. 61 in DeSoto County, with a spur extending southwesterly to or near Robinsonville in Tunica County;

(g) I-10 from Exit 28 to Exit 57;

(h) A new location from the northernmost point on I-110 to U.S. 49;

(i) U.S. Highway 61 from the Tunica County line to the Tennessee state line;

(j) (i) Four-lanes for traffic along Mississippi 16 beginning at its intersection with Mississippi 25 and extending easterly to join the existing four-lane on the west side of Carthage within the corporate boundaries;

(ii) Passing lanes and turn lanes, as needed, along Mississippi 16 beginning at a point on the east side of Carthage within the corporate boundaries where the existing

four-lane ends and extending easterly to the Leake/Neshoba county line; and

(iii) Four-lanes for traffic along Mississippi 16 beginning at the Leake/Neshoba county line and extending easterly to not more than ten (10) miles east of Mississippi 15;

(k) Lorraine-Cowan Road Extension from I-10 North to relocated/reconstructed Mississippi 67;

(l) At various locations on and along U.S. Highway 82 and Mississippi 1 in the City of Greenville;

(m) At various locations on and along I-20, U.S. Highway 61 and U.S. Highway 80 in the City of Vicksburg, including a truck route from Harbor Industrial Park to U.S. Highway 61 north and an extension of South Frontage Road with railroad bridge to I-20;

(n) At various locations on and along U.S. Highway 61, U.S. Highway 65 and Washington Street in the City of Natchez;

(o) At various locations on and along U.S. Highway 90 in the City of Pass Christian;

(p) Mississippi 43/603 beginning where the existing four-lane ends north of I-10 and extending northerly to a point approximately one (1) mile north of Kiln where Mississippi 43/603 divides into Mississippi 43 and Mississippi 603;

(q) Mississippi 43 beginning where Mississippi 43 and Mississippi 603 divide and extending northwesterly to or near

Picayune;

(r) U.S. 49 from U.S. 61 west to the Mississippi River bridge;

(s) Subject to the conditions prescribed in subsection (3) of this section, a central Harrison County connector from I-10 to U.S. 90 in the vicinity of Canal Road to the Mississippi State Port at Gulfport; and

(t) (i) An east Harrison County connector from U.S. 90 to I-10 to be located at the Cedar Lake Road interchange; and

(ii) A connector from U.S. 90 to I-10 between the I-110 interchange and the Ocean Springs interchange and at U.S. 90 at Oak Street.

(3) The level of service to be required for projects authorized under subsections (2)(t)(i) and (2)(t)(ii) of this section shall not exceed the level of service for U.S. 90.

(4) Authorization for the project described in paragraph (2)(s) of this section is conditioned upon receipt by the Mississippi Transportation Commission of a written commitment by the Department of Economic and Community Development to make available for such project not less than Six Million Dollars ($6,000,000.00).

(5) Except for any projects authorized in subsections (2)(s) and (2)(t) of this section and delegated by the Mississippi Transportation Commission to be carried out by the City of Gulfport, the City of Biloxi, the County of Harrison or the Harrison County Transportation Commission as provided in subsection (1) of this section, all planning, construction, reconstruction and performance of the projects authorized under this section, including the letting of contracts, shall commence, proceed and be performed by the Mississippi Transportation Commission and the Mississippi Department of Transportation according to priorities based on volume capacity and traffic congestion in comparative project areas; however, if a project authorized in this section is also included in the four-lane highway program under Section 65-3-97, then all contracts necessary to be let for the completion of the project under this section shall be let not later than the priorities established for the letting of contracts for the project under Section 65-3-97.

(6) (a) Funds for the projects authorized under this section may be provided through the issuance of bonds under Sections 65-39-5 through 65-39-33, through the issuance of notes for such purposes under Section 31-17-127 or from such monies as may be available in the Gaming Counties State-Assisted Infrastructure Fund created under Section 65-39-17.

(b) In addition to the funds provided for under paragraph (a) of this subsection, funds for the project described in subsection (2)(s) of this section also may be provided from any available federal, state, county or municipal funds authorized for such project, including the Economic Development Highway Act.

(c) In addition to the funds provided under paragraph (a) of this subsection, funds for the projects described in subsection (2)(t) of this section also may be provided from any available federal, state, county, municipal or Harrison County Transportation Commission funds authorized for such projects, including, but not limited to, Defense Access Roads funds authorized by the United States government.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.