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MDOT Commissioner Willie Simmons
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MDOT Executive Director Brad White
Mississippi Transportation Commission Chairman Willie Simmons and Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) Executive Director Brad White announced two major expansion projects today, one on I-55 in Madison County and the other on State Route 25 in Rankin County.
The announcement comes after the passage of House Bill 1938 during the 2026 Regular Session of the Mississippi Legislature, which appropriated funding for these capacity projects. Each project will help address traffic demands while improving safety and supporting continued economic development in two of Mississippi’s fastest growing regions.
The first project calls for the widening of I-55 by adding a lane in each direction between State Route 463 and Gluckstadt Rd. in Madison County, expanding the corridor from four to six lanes, including interstate lighting inside the project limits. The second project will widen SR 25 to six lanes from Grant’s Ferry Rd. to State Route 471 in Rankin County and includes the construction of roundabouts at the SR 25 and SR 471 interchange.
“Thanks to House Bill 1938, I am thrilled to announce today that we are now able to move forward with widening I-55 in Madison County between SR 463 and Gluckstadt. This project is going to help deal with the bottleneck that we’ve seen in Madison County and assist us in moving traffic by adding two lanes, one going north and one going south,” said Mississippi Transportation Commission Chairman Willie Simmons. “We’re also proud to announce today another project in Rankin County. We’re going to six-lane SR 25 from Grant’s Ferry Rd. to SR 471 in Rankin County, increasing roadway capacity and reducing travel delays along the SR 25 corridor.”
I-55 and SR 25 aerials Madison and Rankin
The I-55 expansion in Madison County is expected to ease congestion and improve mobility along a major commercial and commuter corridor, while upgrades to SR 25 in Rankin County will enhance regional connectivity and accommodate future growth. MDOT officials praised HB 1938 as a significant investment in Mississippi’s infrastructure and long-term economic competitiveness.
“This coming year, MDOT will enjoy the largest budget we’ve ever had with the authority to spend upwards of about $2.3 billion dollars towards the advancement and enhancement of our transportation system across the state,” said MDOT Executive Director Brad White. “We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Mississippi Legislature for their investment and commitment to transportation, as well as our congressional delegation through the federal funds that we get through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and other grants.”
White noted the importance of MDOT’s capacity construction program, which is designed to keep the state’s transportation system efficient by effectively handling the volume of traffic on any given roadway.
“A few years ago, the Mississippi Transportation Commission was put in an unenviable position of having to abandon the capacity program in order to devote all available funds to our maintenance program. When you look at the highly-traveled areas like metro-Jackson, the Desoto County area, the Gulf Coast and other areas that experience congestion, that is the reason why, because the program designed to keep our system efficient and able to handle the traffic was basically put under a moratorium of sorts,” said White. “Thankfully, about six years ago when FHWA was reauthorized by Congress, thanks in large part to Sen. Roger Wicker, Mississippi was able to have an additional billion dollars made available to our state over that five-year authorization. That extra money allowed the Commission in earnest to restart the capacity construction program.”
Officials say the investments will strengthen commerce, improve daily commutes and position Central Mississippi for future growth. Construction timelines and additional project details will be announced as planning and development move forward.
“Like I-55 in Madison County, SR 25 has experienced tremendous growth and increased demand from the 20,000 drivers that utilize this highway daily, compared to roughly 70,000 drivers on a daily basis on I-55 in Madison County,” said Commissioner Simmons. “Both of these projects are much needed, and we are very pleased to be in the position where we are going from kicking the can down the road to actually preparing to let and build these projects in a manner that takes care of our communities—the business community, the emergency responders’ needs and all the individuals that travel these corridors.”
For more information about these and other MDOT maintenance and construction projects, download the free MDOT Traffic mobile app, visit MDOTtraffic.com and like and follow @MississippiDOT on Facebook and X.