By Staff
CLOSED ROAD Motorists traveling west on Highway 80 near the Newton-Lauderdale County line are being forced to turn around after flood waters caused erosion problems on a half-mile stretch of the highway earlier this month. The road has been closed since April 7 and will remain closed until the third week of May as crews make repairs to the road and nearby bridges. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
April 30, 2003
Work is expected to begin today on a half-mile stretch of Highway 80 near the Chunky River that has been closed since April 7 due to flood damage.
Crews with the Mississippi Department of Transportation closed the stretch of highway earlier this month after parts of the road near the Lauderdale-Newton County line were damaged from floodwaters. A line of severe storms swept through the area April 6-7 and dropped about 10 inches of rain, causing the nearby Chunky River to flood its banks. The floodwaters caused erosion damage to the shoulder of the road and erosion around two bridges.
McDill said most motorists who normally travel on the damaged section of Highway 80 near Chunky-Duffee Road are local residents. He said they shouldn't have a problem detouring around the work.