House Bill 1543

AN ACT TO REQUIRE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY, IN DIRECT COLLABORATION WITH THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF LEFLORE COUNTY, TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A SAFE AND EFFICIENT ELEVATED PEDESTRIAN CROSSING OR SKYBRIDGE FOR STUDENTS AND VISITORS OF MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY AT OR NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF U.S. HIGHWAY 82 AND SUNFLOWER ROAD (COUNTY ROAD 507) IN ITTA BENA, MISSISSIPPI; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) The administration of Mississippi Valley State University, in conjunction with the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, and in direct collaboration with the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the Board of Supervisors of Leflore County, shall conduct a study to determine the feasibility of establishing safe, reliable and cost effective alternative for a safe and efficient elevated pedestrian crossing or skybridge for faculty, staff, students and campus visitors of Mississippi Valley State University at or near the intersection of U.S. Highway 82 and Sunflower Road (County Road 507) located in Itta Bena, Leflore County, Mississippi.

(2) The commission shall, at a minimum, study and report to the 2025 Regular Session of the Legislature the following:

(a) The total amount of federal revenue received by the State of Mississippi and the total amount of state funds spent on federal matching funds that can allowably be allocated for the establishment, construction and maintenance of an elevated pedestrian crossing or skybridge within the area designated in subsection (1) of this section;

(b) A cost—benefit analysis examining the impact of providing alternative pathways to safely traverse the roadway which allows safe access to and from the university's campus;

(d) Benefits to university goers and to the local community to seamless connect the university with the surrounding community by providing a safe and uninhibited navigation corridor within the area designated in subsection (1) of this section;

(e) Previous efforts and key considerations to identify a location and pedestrian crossing alternatives within the area designated in subsection (1) of this section; and

(f) Any constraints associated with a proposed pedestrian crossing within the area designated in subsection (1) of this section, including, but not limited to:

(i) Plans for future expansion of U.S. Highway 82 and/or Sunflower Road (County Road 507);

(ii) Current and projected land uses in and around the area;

(iii) Existing pedestrian infrastructure in the area; and

(iv) Property impacts associated with any proposed U.S. Highway 82 pedestrian crossing.

(3) To effectuate the purposes of this section, any department, division, board, bureau, committee or agency of the state or any political subdivision thereof, may, at the request of the Transportation Commissioner for the Central District, provide such facilities, assistance, information and data which will enable the study to be properly performed under the authority of this section.

The President of Mississippi Valley State and the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation, shall jointly prepare a report to the Legislature on the results of the study not later than December 15, 2024.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.