Within Pearl River County, traffic isn’t a major concern like it is in more populated areas.

However, there is one area of Picayune that can cause the most patient of drivers to lose their cool, especially during the holiday season.

The point where Ridge Road intersects with Highway 43 South can be a challenge to navigate, you may have noticed this to be true over the past couple of months.

Now that the holiday shopping season is over, we can go back to our relatively stress free commute to the major retailers.

But, if you’ve ever asked yourself when the county will do something to make that trip easier during the busy season, or even just a popular shopping day like Saturday, we have your answer. It will happen when funding is secured. We know, it’s a bit vague.

That’s because this project has been on the radar for more than a decade. During that time the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors has been working on a plan to upgrade access to stores in that area in the form of work to relocate sections of Ridge Road.

According to previous proposals, much of Ridge Road would remain the same, but the changes would occur where the road intersects with major highways.

Instead of Ridge Road intersecting with Highway 43 between Ryan’s and The First Bank, access would be moved to a point between Home Depot and Tractor Supply Company.

At the other end of the road, the point where Ridge Road connects to Highway 607 would also be moved to a point further south.

The rest of Ridge Road would stay where it is for the most part.

If the project is ever completed, it could mean easier access to the stores we visit regularly, and hopefully a reduction in our stress levels during the busy shopping season.

But it could very well be another 10 years before progress is made.