One of my privileges as Mayor is to drive our city when my schedule allows and watch progress.  I love doing this and took this photo this week!

The extension of Pepper Chase Road is underway and making significant progress.  I’ve been pleading with MDOT and the state of Mississippi for nine years to fund and complete the I-55 Widening Project which would include the widening of Church Road and rework the Church Road Interchange to mitigate tremendous traffic congestion.  These discussions are still underway, but while battling this problem, we capitalized on the opportunity to secure some state funding from the Mississippi Development Authority because of safe access needs of the new Medline development.  We know that extending Pepper Chase southward will provide some relief to the congestion in this area.  This is a $4.1 million project that received $3.6 million from MDA with the balance being funded by Desoto County and the City of Southaven.  This connection will begin where Pepper Chase currently ends parallel to I-55 on the southeast corner of the Landers Center.  It will proceed southward parallel to I-55 past Medline and tie-in with new signalization to Highway 51 just north of Star Landing Rd.  When completed late this year, another escape route will be available during Landers Center events and daily to clear this congested area.

Thanks again to MDA and Desoto County for assisting the City of Southaven with this much-needed project!