MDEQ approves Gulfport interconnecting road project facing opposition from community
GULFPORT, Miss. (WXXV) — The City of Gulfport is advancing in their efforts to build a north-south interconnecting road project which is expected to improve transportation and public safety in the city.
The project was approved for federal funding in 2019, and seven years later, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, or MDEQ, approved two permits, marking a pivotal step in the project.
The interconnecting road project is expected to serve as an emergency evacuation corridor for events like hurricanes. It is also intended to create an additional transportation option on the west side of Highway 49 to address ongoing traffic concerns between 49, Airport, and Landon roads through the addition of an I-10 crossing that reconnects to Daniel Boulevard.
The project is estimated to cost around $48.5M and nearly $20M of that consists of grant funding that is good through September 2027.
The city says that through an engineering and environmental review process, it was determined that the road project will significantly improve overall existing stormwater management and significantly reduce flood risks, but those in the community have their concerns.
Education, Economics, Environmental, Climate & Health Organization, or EEECHO for short, released a statement following the decision to permit the project. In part, the EEECHO says they are “Disappointed in the city of Gulfport’s prioritization… of a road project that unnecessarily destroys wetlands of national importance, threatens an EPA-Designated Aquatic Resource of National Importance, and deprives Gulfport residents of far more practical solutions.” They also say that the city’s study shows this would be the “least effective solution for traffic, the most expensive, and the most environmentally intrusive.”
As this project continues to develop, we will of course keep you updated. Attached below are the complete statements from the City of Gulfport and EEECHO.
City of Gulfport Receives MDEQ Permits for the Interconnecting Gulfport Road Project
EEECHO Statement on MDEQ Permit Board decision re Interconnecting Gulfport
