Construction, closure coming soon to I-10. Diamondhead businesses hope pain is worth it

John Buzbee
·3 min read

Diamondhead’s sole eastbound Interstate 10 exit is set to close for construction Wednesday.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation said in a statement the exit ramp will be removed and repaved, widening it to two lanes. The construction should take between four and six weeks, the department said. It recommends motorists take a detour by getting off at the De Lisle exit.

After the project concludes, traffic circles will flank both sides of the highway at Diamondhead. Another roundabout will replace a four-way stop where W Aloha Drive meets Gex Drive, and a mixed-used path for pedestrians and golf carts connecting both sides of the interstate is also planned.

An image provided by the Mississippi Department of Transportation shows three future roundabouts planned for the Diamondhead interchange off I-10. The agency is building three roundabouts and adding another multi-use path on the overpass that will connect bike and golf cart traffic across the north and south sides of Diamondhead by 2026.
An image provided by the Mississippi Department of Transportation shows three future roundabouts planned for the Diamondhead interchange off I-10. The agency is building three roundabouts and adding another multi-use path on the overpass that will connect bike and golf cart traffic across the north and south sides of Diamondhead by 2026.

The interstate is being widened near Diamondhead, partly in anticipation for the upcoming Buc-ee’s, going from four to six lanes. Sound barriers are planned near residential areas.

Projects in Diamondhead are expected to wrap by the end of 2026. Road work on the highway should conclude sometime in 2027, according to MDOT.

A satellite image provided by the Mississippi Department of Transportation shows the I-10 widening project near Diamondhead. The red line represents the noise barrier wall and the blue line represents the multi-use path. MDOT expects to complete the project by 2027.
A satellite image provided by the Mississippi Department of Transportation shows the I-10 widening project near Diamondhead. The red line represents the noise barrier wall and the blue line represents the multi-use path. MDOT expects to complete the project by 2027.

Local businesses’ worries and hopes

But many in Diamondhead are expecting the exit’s temporary closing to hurt local business.

“It could’ve been left the way it was,” said Jimi Jones, manager at Lili Nails. “I think the new exit will cause more chaos.”

He believes the interstate exit’s closure will hurt business at the nail salon by 20 to 30 percent. Jones, who’s lived in Diamondhead for about two decades and worked at the salon about half as long, said most of his clients aren’t well versed in taking Diamondhead’s back roads.

At best, most clients will be late, he said. At worst, he thinks most will wait out the construction.

Mary Kendrick, a stylist at Just 4 Him Men’s Haircuts, said the closure will affect all businesses in Diamondhead. She said she believes the construction is coming at the worst time of year – summer’s peak tourist season.

“They’re going to have to go all the way around the back way,” Kendrick said. “We’re not going to get any business.”

She said the salon has been bleeding customers for the past couple of weeks and that it’s expected to get worse. Kendrick, who’s been working there for about a year, expects some customers will seek other salons during the construction’s interim. She’s worried they might not come back to Just 4 Him after the construction ends.

Hannah Morris, a secretary at Lisa Ladner Insurance Agency LLC and lifelong resident of Diamondhead, said the more rural roads motorists will be using in the interim won’t be able to handle all the traffic that’s going to be driving on them.

Many of the agency’s clients are elderly, she said, and she’s worried about them navigating on unfamiliar and rural roads.

Morris said her commute has gone from 10 minutes to 30. She said the road work at the Menge exit serves as a precursor for what’s soon coming to Diamondhead, and the traffic near that exit has been a headache.

She’s hopeful the city will get through construction in a timely manner and commended the communication councilmen have made toward the exit’s improvements.

“I’m actually encouraged in the long run because once the construction is complete, I expect it’ll increase our business,” said Brice Damare, the owner of Natal’s Tobacco Hut and Fine Cigars for 13 years. “We’re going to deal with it while it lasts and enjoy the heck out of it for years to come.”

He said the store’s expecting a small drop in business, but that it won’t be affected quite as much as other nearby stores since most customers at the tobacco store are local.

He’s optimistic, he said.

“I think it’s going to be worth it for the progress of the city,” said Julie Lee, Just 4 Him salon’s manager of four years. “It’s a good community. Everyone’s going to buckle down and get through it.”