A 15-mile stretch of Interstate 59 in Pearl River County is being overlaid by the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

MDOT Resident Engineer Robert Scheeler said the $13 million project is being conducted from the Nicholson exit to the McNeill exit.

Some tree clearing work along the shoulder is also being conducted. Tree work from the McNeill exit to exit 6 has already been finished. That tree clearing work ensures trees are 50 feet from the road. Scheeler said no magnolia trees were cut in the work. The remainder of the clearing work will be done from Nicholson to exit 4 in Picayune.

Currently road overlay work is about 32 percent complete. Scheeler said the entire project should be complete by late summer or early fall.

This overlay project is part of the roadway’s regular maintenance and not due to Hurricane Katrina damage, Scheeler said.

To avoid major traffic problems, restrictions were placed on the prime contractor, Huey Stockstill. Those restrictions state there should be no closures between the hours of 6 to 8 a.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m. between the Nicholson exit and exit 6. Restrictions on closures during those hours are due to the heavy traffic flow between Picayune and Louisiana, Scheeler said.

While the road work commences Scheeler asks motorists to take precautions as they move through work areas.

“Be careful, pay attention to the signs and watch out for workers on the road. A lot of people do drive fast,” Scheeler said.

The speed limit in the work zones is 60 miles per hour.