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As noted in the 11/23/05, SUN HERALD news article mentioned previously, Wayne Brown had stated that the six-lane bridge proposal that MDOT intended to do was just connecting up two sections of highway in Ocean Springs and Biloxi that were already 6-laned roads. But, what Brown apparently did not say, was that it was MDOT that turned those previously four-lane highways into six-lane roads. You will also see that the six-laning of U.S. 90, in Ocean Springs in 2000-2001, is vintage MDOT. Moran said the following regarding the six-lane road in Ocean Springs:
Moran said business owners in the area say customers find it difficult to cross traffic to get to their establishments.
The above is not the first criticism of the widening of U.S. 90 in Ocean Springs. A SUN HERALD news article dated 10/25/00, titled, “State to award pact to widen intersection,” bylined, “Businesses voice concerns over U.S. 90 work,” revealed the following:
A contract to widen U.S. 90 at Washington Avenue to relieved congestion at the busy intersection will be awarded in two weeks….Mississippi Department of Transportation, hopes to begin the project in March and finish by July 2002.
…it’s the 18 months between the start and finish dates that worries the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce…Three businesses have closed because the project would take some of the land, said Chamber Director Margaret Miller, and dozens more have had to make aesthetic changes to their property. Miller also is concerned about the inconvenience motorists will face while the area is under construction.
A SUN HERALD article dated 2/27/01, titled, “U.S. 90 widening project put on hold,” (Here we go again) revealed:
Motorists who travel along U.S. 90 in west Ocean Springs have about a month before they encounter lane closings and traffic jams from work to widen the busy highway.
The 42.3 million project to relieved congestion and improve safety at one of the Coast’s busiest intersections has been postponed for a month,…
A SUN HERALD article dated 12/5/01 titled, “U.S. 90 work stoppage not within O.S. control,” revealed the following:
Business people have met with Mallette Brothers Construction Co. (The Contractor) and city leaders have complained that the company has stopped work on U.S. 90 in the heart of the city.
Jack Gottsche, owner of Germaine’s Restaurant…said Mallette Brothers hasn’t worked on the highway-widening project for almost eight weeks. He said he net with the Mallettes and they told him they won’t resume until the first of next year because of other projects they have.
A SUN HERALD news article dated 12/8/01, titled, “A hurry-up-and-wait game,” bylined, “U.S. 90 work can sit till 2002, say MDOT, but businesses say it can’t,” revealed the following:
The Mississippi Department of Transportation and the contractor hired to widen U.S. 90 in Ocean Springs say they have no problem delaying the road work until early next year.
But businesses near U.S. 90 and Washington Avenue beg to differ. They say putting off the work will only hurt their profits further especially during the busy Christmas season.
MDOT says its contract with Mallette allows the company to stop the work.
The six-laning of Casino Row was also done with the participation of MDOT. MDOT’s portion of 50% was paid for with Casino Program funds. (This is the only money spent in Biloxi, which had 10 casinos, from the Casino Program other than the widening of I 10.) There are more indications of MDOT’s intent on the Six-laning of U.S. 90.
A SUN HERALD editorial dated 9/15/05, titled, “Tree outrage adds insult to injury,” revealed the following:
After surviving for centuries, and standing up against the worst natural disaster in America’s history, a number of the Coast’s magnificent Live oaks were destroyed this week by an idiot.
Whether the idiot was the person driving the track hoe, or the contractor in charge of removing debris, or someone higher up the ladder in MDOT-where the destruction of the landmark trees in a three-mile stretch of U.S. 90 has been blamed on a “breakdown in communication”-has not been determined…
I don’t believe the cutting of those “revered” oak trees, Gulf Coast landmarks, had anything to do with a “breakdown in communication,” anymore than there is a “breakdown in communication,” in MDOT’s determination to build a six-lane, that is really equivalent to 8 lanes, Biloxi Ocean Springs bridge that will connect to six-lane roads in Biloxi and Ocean Springs that have already been done in the past several years. In addition, I refer back to the Baker study mentioned previously that stated:
It would require a general widening of US 90 to six or more lanes to achieve a desirable level of service, but such a widening, not considered to be feasible due to aesthetic and public opinion considerations on this scenic oceanfront route.
What the study was referring to when it said, “due to aesthetic and public opinion considerations on this scenic oceanfront,” are the much revered oak trees, at least in part. The oak trees on Highway were an impediment to the six-laning of Highway 90 and MDOT has known that since at least 1996. They also know that their “too big, too ugly, and too expensive,” proposed north-south connectors for Biloxi and Gulfport will do little to help traffic congestion without more east-west traffic lanes. The evidence mounts, that what is not considered political feasible to do, all at once, MDOT may be able to achieve incrementally. 20 |
