The largest active construction project in the state of Mississippi with a combined estimated price tag of $260 million broke ground Monday morning, on phase II of the 82 By-pass project at the Greenville higher education center,
The project was pulled from the shelf when Commissioner Willie Simmons took office, working with Senators, congressmen, and county and city governments the almost 12-year-old project sees a real possibility of completion under the watchful eye of Commissioner Simmons.
Andy McNair, an MDOT engineer for District 3 said the bypass will cut the travel time from the Mississippi River to Leland in half, and remove about 800 trucks a day from the downtown Greenville traffic.
District 3 Supervisor and Board President Carl McGee said, "We've all received calls from citizens complaining about being inconvenienced by this project, but that's just one of the costs of progress, in just a short time we will be having a ribbon-cutting ceremony as I am the first someone to drive down this road, not the mayor, me."
McGee finished by saying the expectation for this project was that is going to improve the quality of life for the people across the Mississippi Delta for years to come.
Mayor Errick D. Simmons said, "A project of this magnitude is key to the economic, and workforce development in this area."
Simmons thanked Congressman Bennie Thompson for his courage, and also his love, not only for Greenville and the Mississippi Delta, but for every rural community in this country.
"When you think macroeconomics you think of the federal level, but there is a guy at the state level, and I'm so glad we carry the last name, every time I go around the state people say is that your daddy and I say yeah that's my daddy,” Simmons said, “Anytime he's bringing money to Greenville he's my daddy, but seriously just in the last 3 years under Commissioner Simmons we have seen the largest amount of funding in the Central transportation district.”
Johnny McRight transportation committee chairman for the Delta council in Greenville said he's never seen anything like the small communities such as Indianola, Cleveland and Greenville sticking together to promote and push for any one thing, if they can continue to do that, McRight said, he thinks the sky's the limit.
McRight reiterated what Mayor Simmons said that if it weren't for Commissioner Simmons they wouldn't be there at the groundbreaking.
Tom Elmore president of the Uetaw Construction Company said that phase one of the projects took 25 months but was finished seven months ahead of schedule, and that phase two should be completed by September 2025.
John Hines State Representative for District 50, said about the project's success, "This is what happens when we put our pride and our attitude aside and all work together, because when Washington county wins, Bolivar county wins, and Sunflower county wins, and all of the surrounding communities get credit for a victory when we all work together." Hines said that is what is taking place at the federal, state, county, and city levels. “Unification of resources, opportunity, and time is what builds roads,” Hines said. “Congressman Thompson, thank you for outstanding leadership, and thank you, Commissioner Simmons, for keeping your word from day one, because we didn’t really know we were in the central transportation district until Commissioner Simmons got elected.”
“I don't know why John Hines took my speech but he is correct.” Thompson said, I’ve represented this district for 30 years, and this is the first time I’ve seen everybody be on the same page.”
Thompson, who went to high school with Commissioner Simmons, and college with his wife said he and the commissioner have a long history of working together, and it's easy to vote for transportation, because it helps the farmers get to the market, and it helps people get to hospitals, and the public needs it, everything revolves around good roads.
Borrowing from the movie Field of Dreams, Thompson said if you build it, they will come, and if you don’t believe me, look at Northeast Mississippi or the Gulf Coast, they have highways and infrastructure, and as a result, tourism and industry followed.
“That's why it's easy for me to vote for transportation, and I wish some of my other colleagues in Washington felt the same way,” Thompson said, “It's not a partisan issue, because both Democrats and Republicans travel on highways.”
Finally, the man of the hour Commissioner Simmons the Chairman of the Mississippi Transportation Commision, thanked everyone involved in the project before asking Congressman Thompson to return to the podium.
Commissioner Simmons presented Thompson with a Friends of Transportation plaque and thanked him for allowing him to attend high school with him, and for introducing him to his wife of 52 years.
In an interview with Congressman Thompson after the ceremony, Thompson said “it is easy to do right, but even folks who do right, catch hell, I mean they crucified Jesus, and he had never done anything wrong, so if I’m criticized for supporting what’s right, so be it.”
Late Monday evening, Greenville’s mayor made this statement about the groundbreaking ceremony and bypass project.
“Transportation infrastructure projects of this magnitude are key to sustainable economic development, job creation, and community development. From a macroeconomic standpoint. In gratitude: Thanks to Congressman Thompson who champions the historic investments we continue to see in Greenville and rural communities around the country and thanks to our Central Transportation Commissioner who pulled this project off the shelf, one of many projects that account for the most funding Greenville has seen by MDOT in its history.”
