MDOT announces “The Big Fix,” a multi-year project in the Jackson metro area

MDOT announces The Major.

Key points

• News Eddie Pells, Associated Press, Eric Olson, Associated Press August 26, 2026.
• News Lindsay Whitehurst, Associated Press, Nicholas Riccardi, Associated Press August 25, 2026.
• The two-and-a-half-year project will include two 45-day periods where traffic along I-20 will be closed during the summers of 2027 and 2028.
• Referred as "The Big Fix, " the project will include work along I-20 from Wiggins Road to east of Pearson Road/SR 468 interchange.
• Total costs for The Major Fix are anticipated to be $400 million, MDOT estimates.

MDOT announces "The Big Fix, " a multi-year project in the Jackson metro area. By: Jeremy Pittari – August 26, 2026.

MDOT executive director Brad White speaks alongside Commissioner Willie Simmons (Photo from MDOT).

Notably, the two-and-a-half-year project will include two 45-day periods where traffic along I-20 will be closed during the summers of 2027 and 2028.

Meanwhile, a $400 million interstate repair project in the Jackson metro area will require two rounds of 45-day full lane closures along I-20 by the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

Extended closure of traffic along one direction of travel for that 45-day period will support keep the costs and timeline of the project to a minimum, the Mississippi Department of Transportation stated in an announcement issued on Tuesday.

Notably, the project, called the I-20/I-55 Freight Corridors Improvement Project, will entail the repair of 36 bridges, resurfacing and repairs to 16 miles of interstate in each direction of travel for a total of 32 miles (or 121 total lane miles), and the addition of digital message signs as part of an Intelligent Transportation System that updates motorists in real time regarding traffic information.

Repairs to the areas of I-55 from McDowell Road to north of the High Street interchange (including the cross streets and ramps), I-220 from I-20 to the Lynch Street bridge, U.S. 51 from I-55 to the end of state maintenance north of U.S. 80 are additionally included in the scope of the project, MDOT stated.

"This transformative initiative will modernize some of the state's most heavily-traveled corridors, enhancing safety, improving mobility and extending the life of many interstate bridges throughout the Jackson-metro, " remarked Mississippi Transportation Commission Chairman Willie Simmons (D). "The Big Fix represents a comprehensive investment in central Mississippi's network, focusing on the busy I-20/I-55 routes that have served as vital arteries for commuters, commercial traffic and freight movement for over 60 years."

For context, the project is planned to commence this fall and take concerning two and a half years to complete. During that time, there will be the need for two 45-day periods where the entire interstate will be closed to traffic in one direction of traffic in certain areas of the project. Those periods will be planned for the summers of 2027 and 2028.

During the summer of 2027, the westbound lane of I-20 will be closed for that period. The eastbound lane of I-20 will be closed for 45 days in the summer of 2028.

"We understand the two 45-day shutdown periods will be a major inconvenience. The alternative, performing this work under lane closures, would mean a timeline of years, not days, " remarked MDOT Executive Director Brad White. "Without this work, we'd probable be forced to lower weight restrictions or even perform emergency closures that would have a much more severe traffic impact for a longer period. Rest assured, we will provide advance notice, clearly marked detours and extensive public information leading up to the shutdown periods so that drivers, businesses and communities are prepared."

Meanwhile, the need for full lane closures in either direction is necessary to facilitate the extensive work to extend the life of bridges and other major infrastructure in the project area. These repairs will include replacement of end walls, widening of shoulders, full depth removal and replacement of pavement and work to the barriers.

Closures will be scheduled to have the least amount of impact to the traveling public based on traffic data.

"We've chosen to address all of these needs meanwhile, reduce motorists' encounters with construction and deliver the improvements much sooner. I look at it as two years instead of two decades, " remarked White. "This gets us better infrastructure sooner. Fewer years of recurring construction zones. For context, a safer and more reliable metro interstate system. One that is prepared for modern expansion and demand. This is what it's all regarding."

Detailed information regarding when lane closures will occur along with detour routes and other pertinent information will be shared by MDOT through their website as well as through MDOT's smartphone application and on MDOT's social media accounts.

As this work takes place, MDOT wants to ensure the safety of drivers and road crews by encouraging motorists to drive safely.

"Unfortunately, distracted driving continues at alarming rates, particularly along these interstate corridors, " White remarked. "That is why it is imperative we all understand the importance of work zone safety, like staying off cell phones and not speeding, even when traffic is light. I implore you to do your part."

Bridges: decks, beams, girder and epoxy joints. Structural work ranges from bridge deck overlays, rail replacement, shoulder widening, vertical clearance corrections, pile encasement and bearing replacement. Other bridge work items include structural steel painting, fiber-reinforced polymer wrap application, along with cap cleaning and undersealing, among other work.

Roadways: pavement rehabilitation, concrete punchout repairs, mill and overlay, drainage work, slide repairs, shoulder widening, concrete removal and replacement, guardrail replacement, slope repairs, geometry corrections, barrier replacement and other work items.

ITS and miscellaneous: installation of truss and pedestal-mounted Digital Message Signs (DMS), camera installation, fiber extensions, sign truss replacements, safety fencing, tree removal, Smart Work Zone technology and interchange landscaping, upgrading entrances into the City of Jackson at High Street and State Street. Regarding the Author(s).

Jeremy Pittari is a lifelong resident of the Gulf Coast. Born and raised in Slidell, La., he moved to South Mississippi in the early 90s. Jeremy earned an associate in arts from Pearl River Community College and went on to attend the University of Southern Mississippi, where he earned a bachelor's of arts in journalism. A week after Hurricane Katrina, he began an internship as a reporter with the community newspaper in Pearl River County. After graduation, he accepted a full-time position at that news outlet where he covered the recovery process post Katrina in Pearl River and Hancock Counties. For almost 17 years he wrote concerning local administration, education, law enforcement, crime, business and a variety of other topics. Email Jeremy: [email protected].

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In short, MDOT announces “ The Big Fix, ” a multi-year project in the Jackson metro is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.