MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2001 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Representative Snowden, Dickson, Horne, Nicholson, Robinson (84th), Young

A RESOLUTION ENDORSING, IN CONCEPT, THE EXTENSION OF THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM TO CONNECT THE CITIES OF MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, AND MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, the Honorable Richard Shelby, Senior United States Senator from our great sister State of Alabama, has proposed an extension of the Interstate Highway System to connect the Capital City of Montgomery, Alabama, directly to the State of Mississippi with a junction at the City of Meridian in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, with such extension running east to west roughly parallel with the existing route of U.S. Highway 80; and

WHEREAS, although the great majority of the highway mileage constructed and maintained for such extension will be situated within the State of Alabama, the economic impact of such a connection would be of tremendous economic benefit to the State of Mississippi, especially to those areas situated along and within the existing I-20 "central corridor" from Vicksburg to Jackson to Meridian, and those areas situated along the existing I-59 from Gulfport to Hattiesburg to Meridian; and

WHEREAS, the Mississippi House of Representatives welcomes close cooperation with and support of our Alabama neighbors to facilitate this transportation project that has such enormous potential for a positive economic development impact upon our entire region:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby wholeheartedly endorse, in concept, the extension of the Interstate Highway System to connect the Cities of Montgomery, Alabama, and Meridian, Mississippi, and further hereby encourage and call upon the Mississippi Delegation to the Congress of the United States, the Mississippi Department of Transportation, and all Mississippi elected and appointed public officials to support as fully as possible the proposal of the esteemed Senior United States Senator, Richard Shelby of Alabama, to develop and execute a plan to make such an extension a reality for the citizens of the great sister States of Alabama and Mississippi.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Honorable Richard Shelby and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.