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First MDOT Public Meeting-September 25, 1998
A SUN HERALD news article dated September 25, 1998, reveals that MDOT held a public meeting Thursday night and displayed maps reflecting seven possible paths for the connector. These proposals connected with I 10 at three different locations: the Woolmarket exit, the Cedar Lake exit, and a potential new exit between the Woolmarket and Cowan-Lorraine exit.
A MDOT engineer was quoted as saying, “Most of the people here seem interested and want it built as soon as possible…That’s what I’ve heard the most: How quickly can you get it done?”
The MDOT engineer went on to say, “That’s a tough one”, although the engineer expects MDOT engineers to pick a route and complete environmental work by next summer. The article stated that MDOT officials have said it will likely take six or seven years before a car drives on the road. Approximately 100 people attended this meeting that was not well publicized.
A SUN HERALD news article dated October 14. 1998, reveals that MDOT would hold another public meeting regarding the seven potential routes MDOT has selected for the four-lane highway to link I 10 and U.S. 90 in Biloxi. However, in the interim, MDOT will accept public comments through Thursday.
March 2, 1999 Biloxi Public Meeting
A SUN HERALD news article dated March 1, 1999 titled, “Big crowd expected for road meeting,” reflected that, “Coast residents eager to have a say in where the State Department of Transportation builds a multilane highway in Biloxi are expected to jam a public hearing Tuesday at Biloxi City Hall.”
“I wish we had scheduled it somewhere larger” than City Hall, said Tom Wall, Biloxi Councilman who asked the City Council to hold the hearing.
Wall stated, “People are really interested in this road. I can’t hardly get out of my house in the morning because I’m answering the phone. I don’t know what number to put on it, but it’s a lot more than anything else I’ve ever done.”
Wall went on to say, “We want MDOT to know what the people want.” Wall would soon get what he wanted.
A SUN HERALD dated March 3, 1999, was titled, “Woolmarket route opposed.” The article was bylined, “Most prefer new highway to east.” The article stated:
With a stand-up vote, the people of Biloxi overwhelmingly said they favored a route through the east side of the city rather than one beginning at the Woolmarket exit, which would put several subdivisions in its path.
The article stated that more than 400 people attended the meeting, but fewer than 10 got to speak to newly elected Southern Transportation Commissioner Wayne Brown. Ginny Christensen was one who spoke. She said, “It seems like our opinions and feelings are totally being ignored.”
According to the article, Wall asked Brown not to build a raised expressway like Interstate I 110 because it would impede commercial development. Wall explained to Brown, “We live on a peninsula,...We don’t have much land to spare.”
Col. Rick Taylor from Keesler Air Force Base (KAFB) expressed opposition to any path that would take housing from KAFB or have service people living in the shadow of a raised bridge.
Brown said preliminary engineering plans call for a raised express route. Brown’s position was contrary to what the legislature had authorized, what the citizens of Biloxi wanted, and what all previous studies had said was needed. The position taken by MDOT is the position of a rogue government agency which does not really care what the citizens want or need. This controversy would continue and grow until this very day.
Biloxi City Council Passes Resolution Opposing MDOT Plans
On 3/16/99, the Biloxi City Council passed a resolution which said in part, that the City of Biloxi has previously adopted a comprehensive plan (Vision 20 20) that clarified the need for two four-lane connectors between both the Woolmarket and Cedar Lake interchanges and Highway 90.
The resolution continues, that at a public hearing of the Biloxi City Council on March 2, 1999, the overwhelming majority of the citizens of Biloxi, in attendance, expressed their preference for the easternmost corridor connect with I 10 at the Cedar Lake exit.
Further, the overwhelming majority of people at the meeting expressed their support for a ground-level boulevard which would also benefit the proposed new Biloxi High School.
The Council found that an overhead expressway is detrimental to neighborhoods and deters the quality of life in residential and commercial structures in its vicinity.
The Council authorized Mayor A.J. Holloway to take steps to co-ordinate with MDOT, Keesler AFB, and prepare a road plan that was in the interest of Biloxi citizens. Unfortunately, Mayor A. J. Holloway was not content to let the will of the people be done on this matter. More on this later, however there were several important intervening events.
On 3/21/99, MDOT announced that the environmental impact study (EIS) would not be ready for several months and that it may be the end of the year.
Harrison County Board of Supervisors Endorses Biloxi City Council Resolution
On 3/23/99, A SUN HERALD news article reflected that the Harrison County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted for a resolution to asking MDOT to put the Biloxi Connector at Cedar Lake endorsed the Biloxi Resolution, mentioned above, and offered to pay one half of any costs.
March 24, 1999 MDOT Public Meeting
A SUN HERALD news article dated 3/24/99, stated that it took less than 15 minutes Tuesday for Edwin and Olivia Watson to form an opinion MDOT should utilize the Cedar Lake exit for the Biloxi Connector. The article continued, “That’s just the type of feedback that MDOT wanted to get at Tuesday’s meeting, attended by about 450 Coast residents.”
A citizen who lived north of I 10 above the Woolmarket exit suggested that a the connector run from the Woolmarket exit with a bridge across the T’chouticabouff River and southeast to Popp’s Ferry Road, then south to the Back Bay with another bridge across the Back Bay then run south to Highway 90. This was the origination of the H-Route, the Route that MDOT continues to push to this very day.
Concerned Citizens Organize
Biloxi citizens known as Concerned Citizens were organized by Jay Teasdale and me to oppose MDOT’s overhead, interstate type expressway, and MDOT’s apparent leaning toward the Woolmarket exit. The group persuaded people to go to numerous public meetings, wrote letters, and obtained over 2000 signatures on a petition opposing the MDOT proposals. The citizens had made headway as cited above.
Mayor A. J. Holloway Obtains Superseding Resolution-Setback for Citizens
On 4/22/99, Mayor A.J. Holloway introduced a superseding resolution to replace the resolution passed 3/16/99. The first part of Mayor Holloway’s resolution was similar to the first resolution; however the rest of the resolution had several differences.
Number one, Holloway’s resolution was ambiguous in designating the Cedar Lake exit as the exit where the new highway would connect with I 10.
Number two, it authorized Holloway to set up a citizens committee known as the Citizens Coordinating Committee, which members were to be appointed by Holloway.
Number three the committee was to work with MDOT instead of being independent of MDOT and finding the route that was in the best interest of the city, separate from MDOT if necessary.
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