Fortification Street project to begin in May | News

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr., says work on a major project to reconstruct Fortification Street will begin in late May.

The Jackson City Council accepted a $8.9-million bid for the project from Hemphill Construction Tuesday night.

A 1.2-mile section of Fortification Street from Short Farish Street to Greymont Avenue will be reconstructed. The city says the project is expected to take 18 months.

The project will include the replacement of water and sewer mains, replacement and construction of new ADA compliant sidewalks, new signage, replacement of six traffic signals and installation of decorative lighting fixtures.

It will also include:

• Between Jefferson St and Greymont Ave., the project will convert the four-lane section to three lanes.  The change will provide the following benefits: A dedicated left turn lane to move left turning motorists out of the through lane of traffic. And additional space for ADA compliant sidewalks on both sides of the street.
• Installation of traffic monitoring cameras and supporting fiber optic communication wires along the project.
• Relocation of overhead utilities to an underground vault east of Jefferson Street.

Fortification Street will remain open during the project. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction, according to the city.

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