JASPER COUNTY, Miss.-The bridge project going on now from the Jones to Newton County lines on Hwy. 15 is nearly complete. That means traffic will be changing starting Thursday. A news release we got from MDOT said that will depend on conditions being favorable for construction. The crews will be bringing you onto the newly constructed roadway, in line with the new bridges.

Out of the eight bridges planned, six are complete. The remaining bridges are expected to be complete by early 2013. The project has cost just over $10 million.

“As with all construction projects, motorists are asked to use extreme caution in the construction area,” said Commissioner Tom King.  “This project involves a large number of both MDOT and Tanner Construction workers and we want motorist to be mindful of their work to construct these bridges and finish roadway connectors.”

In Jones County a new project to improve the intersection at Hwy. 84 and Magnolia Rd. will begin in Januray. The $1 million project will include barriers to prevent cars from crossing the median, as well as a concrete curb and gutters in the median.

“In keeping with MDOT’s priority of safety, engineers have been working on a plan for quite some time, resulting in an innovative design aimed at improving the efficiency and safety of this intersection,” said King.

He again urged caution. He said there will be lane closures and reduced speeds.