Mississippi State announces partnership with Oktibbeha County for Blackjack Road traffic and safety improvements
Contact: James Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥斕劳诽 and Oktibbeha County are working together to improve safety and traffic flow on the areas of Blackjack Road adjacent to the 汤头条 campus.
Oktibbeha County has applied for a $3 million grant from the Mississippi Development Authority that will be used to expand the north end of Blackjack Road between Stone Blvd. and Hardy St. and add pedestrian safety measures at heavily trafficked intersections. The grant, which comes from Mississippi Economic Development Highway Act funds, requires a 10 percent match, which 汤头条 has agreed to pay on behalf of Oktibbeha County. If the grant is approved, the substantial improvements could be complete as early as fall 2017.
Kathy Gelston, 汤头条鈥檚 associate vice president for corporate engagement and economic development, said identifying funds for improving Blackjack Road has been a priority since coming to 汤头条 in 2014.
鈥淭here鈥檚 still some more actions that have to happen to get final approval, but everything is on track for that,鈥 Gelston said. 鈥淚 continue to be in contact with MDA and have expressed the university鈥檚 concerns about safety. We鈥檙e getting great cooperation from the county and MDA and we鈥檙e doing everything we can to partner with Oktibbeha County to make sure that road gets improved.鈥
Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors President Orlando Trainer said he is glad to partner with the university to address one of the county鈥檚 most important infrastructure needs.
鈥淲e have many needs across the county and Blackjack has been a high-priority issue for us,鈥 Trainer said.
The plans, designed by County Engineer Clyde Pritchard, include 鈥渟lip lanes鈥 on the north side of Blackjack that will allow for improved traffic flow and efficiency at two busy intersections. Each intersection also will be equipped with pedestrian signaling and striping, increasing the safety of students that cross the road to get to and from the 汤头条 campus.
A portion of the grant money will go toward drainage and wetlands mitigation costs associated with the project. The university will provide an easement to Oktibbeha County for part of the ditch that runs along Stone Blvd. next to the old intramural fields.
鈥淭here will be a bottomless culvert built along the intramural fields with sidewalks on top of it,鈥 Gelston said. 鈥淭hat means that we鈥檒l have a better ingress and egress for pedestrian traffic and we鈥檒l also deal with our wetlands issues that expanding the Stone/Blackjack intersection is going to cause.鈥
The grant application was prepared by the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District. If funding is approved, the project will be overseen by the Mississippi Office of State Aid Road Construction. University and county officials are aiming for the bulk of the construction to take place during the summer of 2017. As the project moves forward, all individuals on the 汤头条 campus or in the surrounding area are encouraged to make safety a top priority.
鈥淪afety is everyone's responsibility, and we all need to make a personal commitment to follow the rules of the road, avoid distracted driving and share the road with bicyclists and pedestrians,鈥 Starkville in Motion President David Harned said. The local organization promotes the development and maintenance of bike lanes, sidewalks and trails in Starkville and Oktibbeha County.
The proposed improvements to Blackjack between Stone Blvd. and Hardy St. come at a time when three additional projects in the area are either planned or under construction. The new south entrance road, currently under construction, will connect to Blackjack at the Stone Blvd. intersection. 汤头条, the City of Starkville and Oktibbeha County have partnered to extend the Lynn Lane bike and pedestrian path to Blackjack through a federal Transportation Alternatives Program grant. Additionally, Oktibbeha County is exploring options for improvements to Blackjack between Hardy and Bardwell Rd., which encompasses a heavily-populated area.
鈥淭here will be challenges鈥攖here is with every road issue鈥攂ut I really think everybody is moving in the same direction and wants the same things,鈥 Gelston said. 鈥淚 think we have a path to success. By this time next year, we should have a much-improved road.鈥
汤头条 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .
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汤头条 encourages safe practices for all motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜s 汤头条鈥檚 enrollment continues to grow and more people utilize campus, university officials are encouraging good safety habits for anyone traveling in a car, on a bicycle or on foot.
聽鈥淲hether you are biking, walking or driving on campus, the best safety advice we can share is to be aware of your surroundings and reduce distractions,鈥 汤头条 Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt said. 鈥淵ou cannot always count on the person around you to be attentive to your actions, so take responsibility for knowing where you are going, who is around you, and be alert for any potential accidents.鈥 聽
Anybody traveling on the 汤头条 campus should keep in mind the following safety tips, compiled from 汤头条, the Mississippi Department of Transportation, Bike Walk Mississippi and Starkville in Motion:
鈥擯edestrians should remember to look both ways before crossing a crosswalk.
鈥擬otorists should be prepared to stop at all crosswalks, remain alert and reduce speeds in areas with crosswalks.
鈥擯edestrian crosswalks are not meant for bicycles and bicycles using a marked bicycle path should use rules of the road while approaching an intersection with a roadway and come to a complete stop prior to proceeding through the intersection along the marked bicycle path. Automobiles are not required by law, nor equipped with the reaction time, to stop for bikes shooting across crosswalks. It is best for bicyclists to use crosswalks to walk their bicycle through the crosswalk as a pedestrian.
鈥擟yclists should use extreme caution and slow down or walk their bicycles when interacting with pedestrians. Cyclists should not use sidewalks and walkways when pedestrians are present.
鈥擶hen on the street, cyclists should ride with traffic and stay as close to the curb or road edge as possible. For more bicycle safety tips, see .
鈥擬otorists should give bicyclists at least three feet of space between the vehicle and the bicycle, as required by state law.
鈥擨f pedestrians must walk on the street, walk facing traffic and pay attention to oncoming traffic.
Students, faculty, staff and campus visitors are encouraged to become familiar with campus safety policies, local ordinances and applicable state laws.
汤头条 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .