STARKVILLE — The Highway 182 Revitalization Project is slated to begin this week, and the city has announced road closures that are coming with it.
City Planner Cody Burnett said temporary closures for the first phase of the project will begin Thursday, with the phase to be completed by early January. For the first phase, the westbound lane of Highway 182, between North Long and Jackson streets, will be closed, with a few exceptions, he said.
“This is part of what we have to do to construct the project,” Burnett said. “There will be some inconveniences, but we’re trying to accommodate those as much as we can.”
Westbound traffic should detour around the construction zone via Jackson Street, Lampkin Street, Greensboro Street and Reed Road, according to a post on the city’s Facebook page.
Henderson Road, Long Street and Ernest H. Jones Jr. Drive will also be closed at the Highway 182 intersection. Drivers heading east should also expect delays due to construction.
But there is an exception for “local traffic” between Jackson Street and Pilcher Street, where Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School is located, Burnett said.
SOCSD Communications Director Haley Montgomery said the district is expecting to shift traffic flow “several times” over the next two years as the project moves through different phases.
“The city has been very proactive in trying to ensure that the impact to Henderson Ward Stewart is as minimal as possible,” Montgomery said. “But that being said, the project is a long, ongoing project and it’s a very comprehensive project.”
SOCSD adjusted the bus routes for HWS before the school year began in anticipation of the construction, but carpool parents will still be impacted by the closure, Montgomery said.
In a letter sent out to school parents, Montgomery said the fourth-grade carpool “express lane” adjacent to 182 will be closed for the construction, at least through Oct. 18.
Carpool traffic will be required to travel westbound from Jackson Street to turn right onto School Street. Cars traveling eastbound will not be allowed to enter School Street for carpooling. All carpool traffic will exit School Street going left (eastbound) onto Highway 182.
Montgomery said local police officers and School Resource Officers will be helping to direct drivers while the traffic patterns are changing.
Burnett said the project’s timing has also been adjusted around the school’s schedule, as contractor Burns Dirt Construction plans to fully close sections of the highway to complete more intensive work during the school’s fall and spring breaks.
During the first phase on the north side of Highway 182, Burnett said, there will probably be some sidewalk closures on the north side between School and Henderson streets. Sidewalks from School to Jackson streets should remain open.
The entire $40 million project covering a one-mile stretch of Highway 182 between Old West Point Road and Long Street – with roadway expansion, utility upgrades, new sidewalks and more – is expected to be completed by 2027.
Montgomery said the district will be keeping parents updated throughout the phases of the project. Other city residents can also stay updated by joining the city’s Starkville Alerts (CivicReady Mass Notification System), which also provides information about city events, emergency alerts and other information.
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