Starting Point #1: At MS 1 in Grace, Sharkey County
Ending Point #1: At the Little Sunflower River southeast of Rolling Fork,
Sharkey County
Starting Point #2: In Holly Bluff, Yazoo County
Ending Point #2: At US 49W south of Louise, Humphreys County
Starting Point #3: At US 49 in Yazoo City, Yazoo County
Ending Point #3: Mississippi-Alabama line east of Scooba, Kemper County
Total Distance: 156.7 miles
Counties: Issaquena, Sharkey, Yazoo, Humphreys, Madison, Leake,
Neshoba, Kemper
Cities/towns over 5,000 pop served: Yazoo City, Canton, Carthage,
Philadelphia
Multiplexes:
1.3 miles with US 51 in Canton
2.5 miles with MS 21 in/near Philadelphia
0.9 mile with MS 15 near Philadelphia
1.8 miles with MS 19 in Philadelphia
NHS: None
Freeway Segments: None
Other Multilane Segments:
Through Carthage
>From MS 15 South to east side of Philadelphia
Average Daily Traffic (1999):
Issaquena County: 680
Sharkey County: 670 (east of US 61) to 790
(north of Rolling Fork)
Yazoo County (west of US 49W): 580 (near
Potosi) to 620 (near Holly Bluff)
Humphreys County: 580
Yazoo County (east of Yazoo City): 4,400
(east of US 49) to 4,900 (west of Benton bypass) to 1,600 (near Berryville) to 2,200 (near
Madison County)
Madison County: 2,200 (near Yazoo County)
to 13,000 (west of MS 43) to 2,600 (near Leake County)
Leake County: 2,600 (west of Natchez
Trace) to 12,000 (east of MS 35) to 4,400 (west of Edinburg)
Neshoba County: 5,000 (near Leake County)
to 16,000 (east of Silverstar Casino) to 3,400 (east of MS 491)
Kemper County: 2,400 (west of MS 495) to
6,100 (west of MS 39) to 1,900 (west of Scooba) to 3,900 (east of US 45) to 1,600 (near AL
state line)
Notes:
Another 2di state route that has major breaks in it.
Parts of this route are on the Gaming Roads program, mostly between Carthage and
Philadelphia.
There's been discussion lately of a northern Canton bypass.
What I'd Do:
Bridge the gap between the first two sections by routing it along the relevant
Sharkey County road (which, incidentally, is a direct route between the two sections
anyway). The other gap can be filled by replacing US 49W with MS 16, once US 49W
moves to its new 4-lane alignment.
I'd 4-lane it between MS 25 near Carthage and MS 482 east of Philadelphia. This
would include a freeway bypass of Philadelphia.