MDOT unveils $400 million ‘Big Fix’ project to revamp major Mississippi freight corridors

Dubbed "The Big Fix," the project targets 32 miles of roadway and 36 bridges along Interstates 20 and 55 between Jackson and Pearl to improve traffic flow, upgrade aging infrastructure, and boost driver safety. 

“The road work that will be occurring in this area will be pavement rehabilitation. They'll consist of mill and overlay, a lot of drainage work, slide repairs, shoulder widening and improvements, concrete removal and replacement, guardrail replacement, slope repairs, geometry corrections, and barrier replacements,” MDOT Executive Director Brad Whitesaid. 

More than 100,000 vehicles travel the target corridors daily, including 15,000 commercial freight trucks. Central Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons emphasized that the interstates, originally constructed in the 1950s and 1960s, require updates to meet modern transportation standards. 

“Updating this infrastructure today isn't about correcting the past, it's about keeping pace with today's demand and tomorrow's need,” Simmons said. “Rehabilitating and modernizing this infrastructure system is very critical to the enhancement of safety and efficiency of these corridors and bridges for both the vehicles transporting our citizens as well as those carrying our cargo to their destination.” 

Once completed, Simmons said, the project will improve traffic flow and safety for drivers. The I-20 construction will stretch from Wiggins Rd to Pearson Rd in Pearl. I-55 construction will span from McDowell Rd to the north of High St.  

White said that the project is expected to last around two and a half years, beginning in September 2026 and ending in late 2028 to early 2029. MDOT predicts the project in total will cost around $400 million dollars. The U.S. Department of Transportation is giving MDOT $86.6 million dollars through federal grant funding, and the state will pay $90 million.  

“With that, we'll use to be able to access some of the other federal programmatic dollars that we're able to get through our partnership with the Federal Highway Administration,” White said.   

Most construction will take place at night, but lane closures will begin in October. There will also be two total interstate shutdowns, each with a 45-day duration, with the first shutdown expected to take place in summer of 2027. During those closures, MDOT will have detour routes posted on their website and will be working with local authorities in the project area to keep drivers informed.