Motorists accustomed to traveling Bay Street and Hall Avenue near the City of Hattiesburg’s new 90,000-square-foot Public Safety Complex will have to find alternate routes for approximately one month.
The streets are closed to facilitate the construction of a new roundabout at the five points location where Bay Street, Hall Avenue, Arledge Street, and James Street meet. The primary detour route will be by way of Rebecca Avenue and Court Street.
The intersection has previously been controlled with a single light. Officials said the roundabout is designed to tie in with the new Hall Avenue east and west overpass projects, first announced in 2020, that will allow motorists to bypass two major railroad crossings.
The one on the east end will bypass the Canadian National line with the other on the west end bypassing the Norfolk Southern line.
The rail crossings have been frequent causes of traffic delays in years past. Freight and passenger trains often pass through the area or stop to switch tracks, sometimes blocking traffic for 30 to 45 minutes or longer. There are currently 22 rail crossings in downtown Hattiesburg without alternate paths if they are blocked, according to city officials.
Hattiesburg Chief Communications Officer Samantha McCain said the temporary closures of Bay Street and Hall Avenue will apply to through traffic only. She said residents will still be able to access their homes along Bay Street.
“All construction projects cause some inconveniences, but we work with our engineers very hard to keep this to a minimum,” McCain said.
Traffic to and from the Public Safety Complex, which officially opened on Sept. 27, should be only minimally affected.
“We do not anticipate any major problems with motorists reaching the new police department,” McCain said.
The overall project is being financed in part through a $13.2 million Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and a $5.4 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant from the Department of Transportation. In addition, the city will contribute $8 million in matching funds to complete the transportation projects.
The project was hailed by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker as well as local officials when it was announced.
“Hattiesburg residents will soon see the completion of a faster, safer downtown route along Hall Avenue. I expect the completed projects will have a tremendous impact on our state,” Wicker stated.