Construction is seen at the Jackson Avenue and Highway 6 intersection in Oxford, Miss., Monday, Feb. 2, 2015. (DM Photo | Cady Herring)
Last year, construction began on the interchange of West Jackson Avenue and Highway 6 and is on track to be completed in August.
The construction of a continuous flow interchange at the junction of these two crucial roads is the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s solution to the congestion in the area by reducing the overall signal time at the intersection.
Even though the end result may ease traffic flow, some citizens of Oxford are dissatisfied with the pace of the construction’s proceedings.
“It’s really inconvenient right now, especially when I’m running late,” nearby resident Laura Potts said of the project. “There are tractors everywhere, and it has been going on for months. I guess I’m just sort of concerned that this is only going to displace traffic rather than remedy the problem.”
Deputy James Owens from the Oxford Police Department said that he too had experienced the frustration of being caught in the intersection in progress, but overall, he feels that the engineers have done a good job directing traffic. He also noted that there had been no more than the average amount of accidents at the interchange since the construction began despite the apparent disarray.
“The real question is how much traffic will improve upon completion and how it will affect West Oxford Loop as well as the rest of Jackson Avenue,” Owens said. “Until then, we’ll have to wait and see how it works out. If the new intersection ends up solving all of our traffic problems, then I would say it was worth the wait.”
Mitch Turner, the District 2 engineer, confirmed that the project was on schedule and within the allotted budget.
“Currently, work is taking place in the median of Highway 6,” Turner said. “Paving will resume as soon as weather conditions allow.”
“Citizens will continue to experience traffic flow changes as the project progresses with the addition of new signals and lanes.”
The interchange is slated for completion in August before football season begins.
“An improved intersection will be worth it on busy football weekends,” Potts said. “For now, everyone who lives around here is pretty used to the delays, anyway.”
