Starting Point: At US 49 in southern Forrest County
Ending Point: At MS 25 southwest of Carthage, Leake County
Total Distance (official MDOT): 151.818 miles
Counties: Forrest, Pearl River, Lamar, Marion, Jefferson Davis,
Simpson, Rankin, Smith, Scott, Leake
Cities/towns over 5,000 pop served: Columbia
Multiplexes:
2.2 miles with US 98 near Columbia
4.4 miles with MS 35 near Columbia
1.8 miles with US 84 in Prentiss
0.7 mile with MS 481 in Morton
NHS: Along duplexes with US 84 and US 98
Freeway Segments: None
Other Multilane Segments: Along duplex with US 98
Average Daily Traffic (1999):
Forrest County: 1,200 (average)
Pearl River County: 1,800 (near Elder) to
3,500 (west of I-59)
Lamar County: 1,000 (southeast of
Baxterville) to 4,000 (east of Lumberton)
Marion County (excluding US 98 duplex):
1,200 (east of MS 43) to 7,900 (south of US 98) to 2,700 (near Jefferson Davis
County)
Jefferson Davis County: 2,300 (north of MS
43) to 5,000 (US 84 duplex) to 1,800 (near Simpson County)
Simpson County: 1,800 (south of Boggan) to
5,600 (south of US 49) to 1,900 (near Rankin County)
Rankin County: 1,100 (near Smith County)
to 2,500 (south of Puckett)
Smith County: 1,100 (near Daniel) to 1,400
(north of Polkville)
Scott County: 1,400 (near Smith County) to
4,400 (north of I-20) to 750 (south of Contrell)
Leake County: Ranges from 730 in
northern Scott County to 14,000 along US 98 duplex
Notes:
This is pretty much a quiet route. There's a very interesting curvy section between
MS 18 and I-20.
What I'd Do:
Keep it routed THROUGH Columbia, instead of around.
Redesignate east of Lumbertown as MS 48 once that route is extended to Lumbertown.
4-lane from Lampton to MS 35 north of Columbia and from I-20 to US 80 in Morton.