Train delays will be a thing of the past in Hattiesburg with new overpass construction

For the last few months, motorists have had to make their way around some areas of downtown Hattiesburg by dodging construction cones and following detours.

The inconveniences are part of the city's work on creating a system of overpasses that will help motorists avoid blocked intersections when freight trains need to switch tracks in the downtown area.

The downtown area for decades has been plagued by lengthy delays at major intersections with the railroads' switching yard and depot sitting just off Main Street. Some delays last just a few minutes, while others can last up to an hour at multiple intersections in the downtown area.

Tuesday marked the start of the next phase in the construction of two overpass systems to help motorists in Hattiesburg get to and from the downtown area without long delays caused by trains blocking major intersections.

"An overpass over the decades-old issue of blocked train crossings will not only aid in economic development but enable our public safety officials to serve our residents faster and more efficiently," Ward 4 Councilman Dave Ware said during a news conference.

Although plans for the project began years earlier, they were unveiled in October 2020 when the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development approved a grant for $13.22 million for the project. The city also received a $5.39 million grant from the USDOT's Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program.

“Both the BUILD and CRISI grants were the wins we needed to move this project forward, something we could not have achieved without the leadership of Sen. Roger Wicker and our congressional delegation,” Mayor Toby Barker said. “Coupled with the help we received from our statewide legislative delegation and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann when they passed and then expanded the Mississippi Infrastructure Modernization Act in 2018, this project will continue to transform the landscape between central and east Hattiesburg.”

Sen. Roger Wicker, who attended the news conference, said he is proud to be able to help the city secure funding for the much-needed overpasses.

"This is building up the great heartland of America in a historic city, the Hub City," Wicker said.

Hattiesburg was nicknamed the Hub City because the railroad tracks connect to all parts of the Southeast.

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said the state also supports the city's efforts to continuously make improvements. He added that the state sees a return on its investments in Hattiesburg.

"We continue to see growth here," Hosemann said. "You all have built a phenomenal city. It continues to be one of the leading ones in the state."

The cost for the project rose from $13 million to $24 million over the last few years because of inflation, supply chain demands and rising construction costs. The additional funding will come from revenue designated for the city from the Mississippi Infrastructure Modernization Act, which provides cities with a revenue stream from the state’s Use Tax. The Use Tax funds allow cities the flexibility to use it on key infrastructure projects like this one, Hattiesburg officials said in a news release.

Hattiesburg: City council members approve measure to further railroad improvements, traffic flow

The western portion of the project includes an extension of Hall Avenue with an overpass for the Canadian National rail line. The eastern portion routes motorists over the railroad tracks from Hall Avenue to East Hardy Street, where they can return to the downtown area or travel to Petal.

“When it’s complete, gone are the days when the neighborhoods near us are cut off from other parts of the city when a train is on the tracks," Barker said.

Work on the Hall Avenue East Overpass should be complete in the next six to eight months, Barker said.

"This has been a long time coming, but we're almost at the finish line," Ward 5 Councilman Nicholas Brown said.

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This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Construction begins on Hattiesburg's next train track overpass