The Mississippi Department of Transportation Annual Report 2001 The Mississippi Department of Transportation Annual Report 2001 Our Mission 2 A Note from the Executive Director 3 Our Goals 4 Section I - The Department Administration 5 Organizational Chart 6 Executive Summary 7 Section II - Financial Report Section III - Maintenance Expenditures by County and Project Section IV - Construction Expenditures by County and Project Section V - Contracts Awarded by Commissioner Districts and by Month Cover photograph by Glenn S Smith Mississippi Department of Transportation ANNUAL REPORT 2001 Our Mission The Mississippi Department of Transportation is responsible for providing a safe intermodal transportation network that is planned, designed, constructed, and maintained in an effective, cost-efficient and environmentally- sensitive manner% 2 Mississippi Department of Transportation ANNUAL REPORT 2001 important in keeping Mississippi alive economically As the lead transportation agency in the state, MDOT is moving forward with long- range, innovative transportation programs that keep our economy strong Over the last fiscal year, the Transportation Commission awarded approximately $415 million in transportation work This is the second highest amount awarded in the past twelve years, and it is a substantial A Note from amount for a state our size to invest in our transportation system We need a balance to continue strengthening our water and air ports, the Executive rails and highways, while maintaining the investments we have already made All of these accomplishments could not have Director been attained without the diligence and hard work of MDOT employees MDOT is working Dear Legislative Members: with fewer people who have more responsibility than ever before Despite the increased These are exciting times for Mississippi The responsibility, our employees strive to work outlook for our states economic development harder and smarter every day potential is good, especially with the addition of One example of working harder and smarter, the Nissan Plant and the growth it will bring can be found on MDOTs web page, These are also exciting times for the wwwgoMDOTcom There, individuals will find transportation industry especially in general highway maps of individual Mississippi Mississippi The Mississippi Department of counties, city maps of incorporated cities in the Transportation (MDOT) is committed to state, the official Mississippi state highway map, providing a world-class transportation system and traffic volume maps that provide an annual a network of highways, airports, public transit average daily traffic count for counties and cities systems, ports, weight enforcement offices and rail These maps can be powerful tools for planners, systems that will provide for the safe and investors and business people in, as well as efficient movement of people and goods outside of Mississippi Technology is just another Much of the success of that world-class way, MDOT is preparing for the economic growth transportation system can be attributed to the of our state 1987 Four-Lane Highway Program (or AHEAD As Mississippi moves forward to meet the Program, as it is sometimes called) Just over a challenges of today and tomorrow, the Mississippi decade ago, the Mississippi Legislature first Department of Transportation will be there, as in implemented the AHEAD Program, which the past, providing a top-notch transportation promised to link every Mississippian to a four-lane system to those who live here and to those just highway within 30 miles or 30 minutes After traveling through several additions to the original bill, the Program We will continue to work harder and smarter today represents Mississippis commitment to to perpetuate the growth of the state we call home construct or otherwise improve approximately 1,811 miles of four-lane highway To date, Sincerely, Mississippians are enjoying 6804 miles of additional four-lane highways, already opened to traffic MDOT will continue pushing forward in maintaining the states infrastructure and Larry L Butch Brown, encouraging new modes of mobility, which are Executive Director 3 Mississippi Department of Transportation ANNUAL REPORT 2001 GOAL 5 Establish and maintain effective transportation system management processes The Mississippi Department of Transportation is constantly seeking improved methods and processes for managing existing and new transportation facilities in the most effective way Management systems have been developed and implemented that assist in the decision-making process Our Goals concerning the most appropriate investments of resources available to the department and prioritization of projects These management systems facilitate a systematic examina- In order to provide the framework for accomplishing the tion (and reexamination) of MDOTs objectives and alterna- Mississippi Department of Transportation's mission, a set of nine tive strategies The linkage of management systems to goals has been developed These goals are multimodal and decisions about future programs is critical as they are a strong comprehensive in scope The order of the goals does not represent basis for determining future programs priority They are all important, interdependent and summarized on the following pages GOAL 6 Maintain and preserve Mississippis transportation system Mississippi has made a substantial investment in its GOAL 1 Improve mobility for Mississippis people, transportation system If this system is to continue serving the commerce and industry states citizens, as well as commerce and industry, a high Mississippi enjoys a reasonably high standard of travel priority must be assigned to preserving and maintaining the mobility Interstate highways connect major cities and other existing infrastructure and the transportation services which major highways link the smaller cities, towns and rural areas utilize this infrastructure Class I railroads provide good service between major centers There is sufficient capacity at Mississippis major ports to GOAL 7 Ensure that transportation system development meet needs in a reasonable manner Congestion at most is sensitive to environmental and energy conservation airports is not yet a great concern Public transit provides an concerns alternative travel mode in many areas of Mississippi Transportation is essential to the enjoyment of the world It is the means for travel to interesting locations and GOAL 2 Ensure high standards of safety in the events, and for participation in activities that enrich life transportation system Nevertheless, operation of transportation vehicles produces A top priority of the Mississippi Department of noise and air pollution, uses energy and may have adverse Transportation is transportation safety For all modes, the effects on the natural environment In addition, construction department is vitally concerned with efforts to improve public of transportation facilities may be disruptive to the environ- safety ment and may affect the structure of communities and neighborhoods Strategies have been developed which will GOAL 3 Provide a transportation system which help ensure that Mississippis transportation system develop- encourages and supports Mississippis economic ment is sensitive to environmental and energy conservation development concerns Transportation and its supporting infrastructure are critical elements in economic development and growth The GOAL 8 Create effective transportation partnerships and transportation system provides access to the elements of cooperative processes economic development Labor and employment, manufactur- Transportation in Mississippi involves a myriad of ing, wholesaling and retailing, tourism, and other elements of participants This includes both the public and private production are all dependent on the transportation system sectors, which provide transportation infrastructures and operate transportation services Strategies outlined in the GOAL 4 Improve intermodal efficiency and connectivity Mississippi Department of Transportation's Long-Range in transportation systems Transportation Plan were created to ensure effective partner- Mississippi has a multimodal transportation system ships and cooperative processes to further the development of That is, different forms of transportation exist in most areas of Mississippis transportation system the state, particularly in those which are most heavily populated With multiple forms of transportation, choices GOAL 9 Provide a sound financial basis for the often are available about how a particular trip or freight transportation system movement will be made Smooth, efficient travel requires One of the Mississippi Department of Transportations adequate opportunities to transfer between different parts of major challenges is to provide adequate levels of funding in the transportation system These connections should provide order that essential transportation needs are within the a seamless transportation linkage that facilitates transfers context of the above stated goals Funding sources, both with the least inconvenience and cost so that the inherent private and public, are a must to ensure a sound financial base advantages of each transportation mode can be realized for transportation programs 4 Mississippi Department of Transportation ANNUAL REPORT 2001 The Department as of June 30, 2001 Transportation Commission Division Directors Zack Stewart - Northern District Commissioner Edward A Bailey - State Traffic Engineer Dick Hall - Central District