Whats with Mississippi Roadways (Jackson, Vicksburg: real estate, house, new construction)

[1Patois]

I've noticed that roads are less worn and better taken care of in Mississippi than in Louisiana...MS is poorer,so why is their infrastructure better?

Disclaimer: the US-61 NORTH of Vicksburg is raggedy and horribly slow, but this is the only exception.

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

The gas tax needs to be raised to pay for road and bridge improvements.

[Dd714]

Compared to where? I haven't noticed any significant difference except that less harsh winter weather keeps the roads in better condition compared to roads in northern states. Of course that is applicable to all southern US states.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Originally Posted by 1Patois

I've noticed that roads are less worn and better taken care of in Mississippi than in Louisiana...MS is poorer,so why is their infrastructure better?

Disclaimer: the US-61 NORTH of Vicksburg is raggedy and horribly slow, but this is the only exception.

MDOT has some really good people, in all honesty. One of the best DOTs in the country in my opinion.

However, even that can't compare to some of the clay soil. Wreaks havoc on Highway 25.

[sammyreynolds1977]

Clay soil wreaks havoc on a lot of things here. You should see some people's house foundations.

[viverlibre]

I don't know about the claim of MDOT being among the best in the country, they can stretch out projects well beyond any reasonable timeframe and fail to plan for contingencies (driven I20 South lately?). Hwy 25 should have been four-laned 25 years before it was even started and it took them forever to complete Hwy 82. The recently completed Lakeland Drive project was 15 years too late.

With all the above being written, I believe most of Mississippi's road issues are at the municipal level (county, city, etc). For Example, City of Jackson streets are beyond embarrassing, this is true for many local roads. Funding, corruption and lack of holding contractors accountable (corruption plays into this) are the big issues.

Go to Texas if you want to see real Highway work, when repaving they dig down many feet to remove the poor or degraded foundation and backfill with good substrate. If we would consistently do quality work (dig out the top few feet of poor soil) our roads would be much less prone to issues like Yazoo Clay.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Originally Posted by viverlibre

I don't know about the claim of MDOT being among the best in the country, they can stretch out projects well beyond any reasonable timeframe and fail to plan for contingencies (driven I20 South lately?). Hwy 25 should have been four-laned 25 years before it was even started and it took them forever to complete Hwy 82. The recently completed Lakeland Drive project was 15 years too late.

You obviously haven't been anywhere else, in order to appreciate Mississippi's roads.

Originally Posted by viverlibre

Go to Texas if you want to see real Highway work, when repaving they dig down many feet to remove the poor or degraded foundation and backfill with good substrate. If we would consistently do quality work (dig out the top few feet of poor soil) our roads would be much less prone to issues like Yazoo Clay.

You going to foot the bill? Undercutting adds 2 and 3 times the magnitude of the project. Those mistakes were made years ago. Hard to re-do them now when money is more more tight.

[1Patois]

Originally Posted by sammyreynolds1977

Clay soil wreaks havoc on a lot of things here. You should see some people's house foundations.

Whoa. This is some hardcore info you just gave me...and I bet you didn't even realize it. Hmmm. Now I know to never look into real estate in that area UNLESS it's a new construction.

[1Patois]

Originally Posted by Mississippi Alabama Line

You obviously haven't been anywhere else, in order to appreciate Mississippi's roads.


You going to foot the bill? Undercutting adds 2 and 3 times the magnitude of the project. Those mistakes were made years ago. Hard to re-do them now when money is more more tight.

EXACTLY !I totally agree with you. How rude! They probably reside or once resided somewhere in Texas. Texas isn't even a "real" southern state. It's mostly southwestern. Why would Texas even be compared to Mississippi? I didn't bring up Texas. bleh. While it has "much to offer," they also have oil money and vast open space that which developers take advantage of to bring money into the state. Honestly, I bet that's the ONLY reason they tend to have decent roads.
Furthermore, the roads from Orange Texas to Houston Metro are BUSTED in the worst way and they have had bridge construction on I-10 in Liberty/Chambers County for AGES...longer than I can even think back. I'm fully-grown and driving myself now and was still a mess when last I checked. So, anybody tooting Texas highways needs to give it a rest.

[1Patois]

Originally Posted by viverlibre

I don't know about the claim of MDOT being among the best in the country, they can stretch out projects well beyond any reasonable timeframe and fail to plan for contingencies (driven I20 South lately?). Hwy 25 should have been four-laned 25 years before it was even started and it took them forever to complete Hwy 82. The recently completed Lakeland Drive project was 15 years too late.

With all the above being written, I believe most of Mississippi's road issues are at the municipal level (county, city, etc). For Example, City of Jackson streets are beyond embarrassing, this is true for many local roads. Funding, corruption and lack of holding contractors accountable (corruption plays into this) are the big issues.

Go to Texas if you want to see real Highway work, when repaving they dig down many feet to remove the poor or degraded foundation and backfill with good substrate. If we would consistently do quality work (dig out the top few feet of poor soil) our roads would be much less prone to issues like Yazoo Clay.

YOU.ARE.A.RIOT. !!!! check out my response to MississippiAlabamaLine regarding your "Texas" roads. Be advised: this is not intended to be a states war...i was just asking a sincere question.

Cheers !