Mississippi Highway 19

Northern Terminus:

At US 51 in West, MS

Southern Terminus:

 MS/AL State Line southeast of Whynot, MS

Distance:

 103.1 miles

Counties Served:

 Lauderdale, Newton, Neshoba, Winston, Attala, Holmes

Cities/Towns Over 5,000 Population:

 Meridian, Philadelphia, Kosciusko

Highway Duplexes:

 I-20, I-59, US 11, US 80, MS 12, MS 14, MS 15, MS 16, MS 21, MS 35

Freeway segments:

 Along duplex with I-20/I-59/US 11/US 80.

Multilane segments:

 From MS 496 to I-20/I-59
From I-20/I-59 to Collinsville
Along duplex with MS 16 in Philadelphia
At the interchange with MS 25.
Along duplex with MS 35 from the Natchez Trace Pkwy to MS 12.
Along multiplex with MS 12/MS 35.

National Highway System:

 Along multiplex with I-20/I-59/US 11/US 80.

MDOT's Vision 21 System:

 High Priority along multiplex with I-20/I-59/US 11/US 80
High Priority from Collinsville to MS 15 at Philadelphia.
Low Priority from MS 15 at Philadelphia to MS 35 near Kosciusko.
Medium Priority along duplex with MS 35.

Average Annual Daily Traffic Ranges (2004)

Lauderdale County
 (Excluding I-20/59 multiplex):

4,600 (near Shannon Rd)
3,800 (near S.L. Wilson Rd)
7,700 (NW of Long Creek Rd)
14,000 (E of Bonita Lakes Dr in Meridian)
18,000 (S of 5th St in Meridian)
24,000 (E of Old Hwy 80 in Meridian)
16,000 (Old Hwy 80 to North Hills St in Meridian)
15,000 (NW of Chandler Rd)
14,000 (NW of State Blvd)
11,000 (NW of MS 494)
10,000 (NW of Allen Swamp Rd)
7,400 (NW of Pleasant Ridge Rd)

Newton/Neshoba Counties
(excluding MS 16/MS 15 duplexes):

 6,700 (NW of Newton County-Martin Rd)
5,400 (NW of CR 709)
5,600 (NW of CR 270)
7,500 (near CR 537)
9,300 (near Blount St in Philadelphia)
2,600 (N of CR 608)
2,400 (E of MS 395)
1,800 (near CR 397)
1,300 (near CR 171)

Winston/Attala Counties (southeast of MS 35):0

 1,300 (SE of MS 25)
1,100 (NW of MS 25)
1,100 (near CR 5001)
1,200 (
1,900 (

Attala/Holmes Counties (northwest of MS 35):0

 1,900 (along MS 39 duplex in Shuqualak) to 670 (near Kemper County)

Froggie's Notes:

- More of a diagonal route than a north-south route.
- Through travel on MS 19 requires several turns.  There are 3 turns in Meridian, 4 turns in Philadelphia, and 4 turns in Kosciusko.
- Some of MS 19's old alignment is visible southeast of Meridian.  A good portion near Whynot is still drivable, and is presently a county road.
- A MS 19 "Meridian Bypass" north of the city and tying into the US 45 bypass has been proposed off-and-on since the mid 1970s.  Recently, there has been another push for the bypass, led by Marion officials, and has recently culminated in a "Meridian area traffic study" that will be ongoing during 2003.
- 4-way stops were added at Collinsville and near Neshoba County Hospital in Philadelphia in 2000.  2001 saw two additional traffic signals on the west side of Meridian.
- 4-lane widening is planned between Collinsville and Philadelphia, but will not likely start until after 2007.
- MS 19 used to travel right through the heart of Philadelphia.  In 1999, it was realigned to follow MS 16 west of downtown Philadelphia, then back north along the MS 15 Philadelphia bypass back to existing MS 19.  In the future, it will be realigned further, onto the planned MS 16 Philadelphia bypass, and will avoid central Philadelphia altogether.
- As part of MS 25's 4-lane project, a diamond interchange was constructed at MS 19, replacing the old grade-separation and single-lane access ramp.  This interchange opened in 2002.
- Some years back, an eastern bypass was built around central Kosciusko between the Natchez Trace Parkway and MS 12.  MS 19 and MS 35 have since been relocated to this "bypass".

Froggie Suggests:

- Widen to 4-lane expressway from MS 496 southeast to the AL Line, in conjunction with widening AL 10 between the state line and Butler.
- Construct the "Meridian North Bypass" to 4-lane freeway standards, from US 45 near the Marion-Russell Rd interchange west to existing MS 19 near MS 494.  Suggested interchanges at US 45, Dale Dr (Old US 45), MS 39, MS 493, and existing MS 19.
- Expedite widening to 4-lane expressway from Collinsville north to the future MS 16 bypass.
- Construct the MS 16 and reconstruct the MS 15 Philadelphia bypasses as 4-lane freeways.
- Reconstruct as a 2-lane arterial highway with high standards (smoother and/or fewer curves, access management, wider and paved shoulders) from MS 15 northwest to MS 35 near Kosciusko, with sufficient right-of-way to accommodate 4-lanes if needed in the future.
- Construct a "northeast quadrant bypass" for MS 35/MS 19, north of MS 12, as a 4-lane expressway.  Construct the connection to existing MS 19 northwest of Kosciusko as a 2-lane arterial highway.
- Extend to I-55 along the county road between West and I-55 at Exit 164.

Photographs:

Southern Terminus

 

 This is where AL 10 transitions into MS 19 as one crosses the state line, heading towards Meridian.  Photo by Adam Froehlig, taken in 2000.

 

 This is the opposite view, as one heads into Alabama.  Photo by Adam Froehlig, taken in 2000.

Northern Terminus

No photographs available.

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Last Updated:  October 28, 2003

(C) 2003, 2002, Adam Froehlig