Work to straighten out Highway 43 North will lead to closure

Published 7:00 am Saturday, May 11, 2019

Ongoing work to straighten out dangerous curves along Highway 43 North will lead to a closure of the road.

Mississippi Department of Transportation District 6 Engineer Gabe Faggard said the work is necessary to ensure the new road aligns with existing roadway.

The section of road that will be closed is from the intersection of Pine Grove Road to Cybur Hills Road. The closure is expected to last up to 14 days.

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However, if the weather cooperates, the work may only take a week. Faggard said the road will be closed starting Monday, May 13, if the weather dries up before then. If for some reason the rain continues into Sunday, then crews may wait until Tuesday to close the road and begin the work. He said dry conditions are necessary to conduct the work.

Closure of the road is necessary because the crews can’t cut the alignment down while traffic is in the area, Faggard said.

As for completion of the project, which involves two remaining areas along Highway 43 North, that may take up to two months. The project originally involved three locations, but work along the highway in the Henleyfield Community is complete.

The two remaining sections are at Wheat’s Curve, and in the Cybur Community.

Faggard said he expects work in the Cybur community, where the closure will occur, to finish up first, possibly in a month to a month and a half.

Due to drainage issues in the area of Wheat’s Curve, that part of the project may not be complete for as long as two months, he said.

During closure of Highway 43 North, motorists are advised to use the detours of Highway 11 and Highway 26.