Officials including Mississippi Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall held a Dec. 11 ribbon-cutting to formally conclude the Highway 25/Lakeland Drive Expansion Project ​that added a lane in each direction to the heavily used road near Jackson.

“Highway 25 is one of the busiest stretches of roads in the state and a major economic driver for central Mississippi,” said Reeves. “Any commuter has seen the difference this finished project has made over the past few weeks.”

The two-year, $36.3 million project included extending a fiber optic line to allow more traffic monitoring by video camera, and “interconnecting the traffic signals to improve traffic flow and tie them into the statewide Traffic Management Center,” said the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

The work added other hardware, it said, “to allow for implementation of an adaptive traffic signal system that continuously counts traffic volumes and adjust traffic signal timings based on conditions.”

Hall said: “This type of transportation improvement project enhances infrastructure that will provide opportunities for economic development and growth along Highway 25 in Flowood, Rankin County and the state of Mississippi. The project also supports MDOT’s number one priority to maintain roadways that are safe for the traveling public and motorists in this area.”

Hall said the route normally handles nearly 40,000 vehicles a day. The project provides a smoother and safer ride for the public, MDOT said, by relieving traffic congestion, improving the road surface and increasing capacity. Besides adding a new lane in each direction to make it a six-lane highway, the work expanded one bridge and improved all major intersection configurations.

“Everything that was put into this project is designed to increase the safety and efficiency of the traveling public,” Hall said. “From intersection reconstruction to intelligent transportation system components, this project shows MDOT’s commitment to safety.”​