The delayed realignment of Richardson-Ozona Road is undergoing the final phases, as workers are currently laying concrete curbs that will outline the new road.

“The work that is currently under contract should be completed at the end of August. What is left is to pave the asphalt roads, finish up the concrete curbs, and put a traffic light up where the road will intersect with Highway 11,” said Pearl River County Engineer Les Dungan.

The purpose of the realignment is to provide a safer intersection with Highway 11, says Dungan. The existing Richardson-Ozona Road intersects with U.S. Highway 11 at a very steep angle, making merging onto the highway dangerous, said Dungan.

The new road will be perpendicular to Highway 11 and will be located at the traffic control signal at Highland Parkway.

In a purpose and need statement written by Dungan, he states that the newly proposed realignment includes 200 feet of the existing road, with the rest being abandoned. The remaining section of the current road will undergo repairs, overlaying it with asphalt and attending some minor roadway ditches if required, Dungan said.

The existing northern section of Richardson-Ozona road will join the newly realigned fragment, leading to a roundabout in the southern section of the road according to the purpose and need statement.

Dungan says the abandoned parts of the road will be turned over to the adjoining landowners.

“The way the road is set up right now is very inconvenient in spacing with the highway. Our goal for this project is to provide safer travelling to the businesses and for citizens around the area,” said Dungan.

The project exceeded the initial deadline, however it was not because of the contractors.

“The contractor had a very wet winter last season. From October through March the site was tempered by wet weather, making construction of the road impossible to build effectively,” said Dungan.