ms19.jpg (2342 bytes)

Starting Point:  At US 51 in West, Holmes County
Ending Point:  Mississippi-Alabama line southeast of Whynot, Lauderdale County
Official Distance (MDOT):  103.102 miles

Counties:  Holmes, Attala, Winston, Neshoba, Newton, Lauderdale
Cities/towns over 5,000 pop served:  Kosciusko, Philadelphia, Meridian

Multiplexes:
     4.3 miles with MS 35 in Kosciusko
     0.7 mile with MS 12 in Kosciusko
     7.7 miles with MS 14 in Attala County
     3.3 miles with MS 15 near Philadelphia
     1.8 miles with MS 16 in Philadelphia
     1.7 miles with MS 21 in Philadelphia
     4.2 miles with I-20/I-59/US 11/US 80 in Meridian (the "Meridian Multiplex").

NHS:  Along duplex with I-20/59

Freeway Segments:  Along duplex with I-20/59

Other Multilane Segments: 
>From MS 12 WEST to Natchez Trace Parkway in Kosciusko
Along duplex with MS 16 in Philadelphia
>From Collinsville to I-20/59
>From I-20/59 to US 45

Average Daily Traffic (1999):
     Holmes County:  850
     Attala County:  600 (south of MS 440) to 13,000 (MS 12/35 triplex) to 1,000 (southeast of MS 14)
     Winston County:  1,100 (northwest of MS 25) to 1,600 (southeast of MS 25)
     Neshoba County:  1,600 (near Winston County) to 14,000 (MS 16 duplex in Philadelphia) to 5,600 (southeast of MS 492)
     Newton County:  5,600
     Lauderdale County (north of I-20/59):   5,900 (northwest of Collinsville) to 18,000 (north of I-20/59)
     Lauderdale County (southeast of I-20/59):   12,000 (near Bonita Lake) to 4,500 (near AL state line)

Notes:  More of a diagonal route than a straight north-soute route.  It was realigned to follow MS 16 and the MS 15 bypass around Philadelphia in 1999.  >From Kosciusko to Collinsville is included in Phase 4 of Mississippi's 1987 Highway Program.  Recently-done 4-way stops in Collinsville and near Neshoba County Hospital in south Philadelphia.  Also two brand-new (as of late April) stoplights at 20th St and North Hills Dr in west Meridian, both of which were needed months ago.

Slated for 4-laning from Collinsville to Philadelphia, and realignment onto the proposed MS 16 Philadelphia Bypass.  Possible 4-laning between Kosciusko and Philadelphia.  There's also been talk of a Meridian North bypass, although the last feasability study was back in 1990.  There's been calls recently for another feasability study.  IMHO, the bypass needs to be built, both to get MS 19 through traffic out of town and off the Interstate, and also to relieve the traffic mess along North Hills St in Meridian.

Through travel on MS 19 requires many turns.  There are 4 turns in Kosciusko, 3 in Philadelphia, and 3 in Meridian.

Construction Notes:  4-laning from US 45 to MS 496 underway.  This project includes pavement rehab down to Vimville, and construction of a left turn lane at Vimville.

What I'd Do:  Extend it northwest to I-55.  I'd also 4-lane it further southeast from MS 496 (at least to Vimville, if not Whynot), as well as 4-lane northwest up to Kosciusko.  I'd also build the Meridian North bypass as a freeway and reroute MS 19 onto it.

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