Project Description

The City of Jackson is proposing the extension of State Route 186 and the US 45 Bypass from State Route 1/US 70/Airways Boulevard (Airways Blvd) on the west side of the City of Jackson to State Route 5/US 45/South Highland Avenue (US 45) on the south side of the City of Jackson.

US 45 is a major arterial highway extending from Mobile, Alabama to Michigan, and serves as the main route between Jackson, TN and Tupelo, Mississippi located approximately 100 miles to the south. US 45 is also the only major crossing of the South Fork of the Forked Deer River, connecting downtown Jackson with southern portions of the city. The existing US 45 Bypass, constructed by TDOT in the 1960s, connects US 45 south of downtown Jackson to Interstate 40 (I-40), which lies north of the project area. (The section of the bypass between I-40 and Airways Boulevard is also designated as SR 186.)

In 2005, $4.0 million in federal funds became available for an extension of the existing US 45 Bypass from Airways Boulevard to US 45 south of Jackson as part of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) High Priority Projects (HPP) Program.

In July of 2007, the City of Jackson formally contacted TDOT requesting assistance from the TDOT Local Programs Office and permission to fund a Transportation Planning Report (TPR) and associated studies with HPP funds. In September of 2007, TDOT responded positively, agreeing to match funds for the early portions of project development.

The TPR identifies the preliminary need and the goals (purpose) of the project, shows wide corridors into which alignments can be developed, and presents preliminary environmental screening and planning level cost estimates.

The TPR document was approved by TDOT in March of 2009. Because the project is proposed to be constructed with federal funds, a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessment document is currently being prepared for the project.