National Starting Point: Near Alamogordo, NM, at US 54/US 70
National Ending Point: Brunswick, GA, at I-95
Total Distance: 1,609 miles
States: NM, TX, AR, MS, AL, GA
Mississippi Starting Point: Arkansas border near Greenville, MS
Mississippi Ending Point: Alabama border near Columbus, MS
Mississippi Distance: 179.915 miles
Mississippi Counties: Washington, Sunflower, Leflore, Carroll,
Montgomery, Webster, Choctaw, Oktibbeha, Lowndes
Cities/towns over 5,000 pop served: Greenville, Leland, Indianola,
Greenwood, Winona, Starkville, Columbus
Multiplexes:
19.1 miles with US 278 from the Arkansas border to Leland
10.7 miles with MS 7 in Leflore County and Greenwood
4.2 miles with US 49E in Leflore County and Greenwood
0.7 mile with MS 35 in Carrollton
0.8 mile with MS 15 in Mathiston
8.6 miles with MS 25 from Starkville to US 45 Alt
27.0 miles with MS 12 from Starkville to Columbus
4.0 miles with US 45 in Lowndes County and Columbus
NHS: Entire length
Freeway Segments:
From Clayton Village, near Starkville, east to the Alabama line. Exit List.
Other Multilane Segments:
From just east of the Mississippi River east to Kilmichael
From west end of Europa bypass to MS 15 just east of Mathiston
From the east end of Starville east to Clayton Village
Average Daily Traffic (1998): Ranges from 3,100 in eastern Montgomery County to 25,000 in Greenville and at the Tenn-Tomm Waterway
Notes:
US 82 serves an important niche as a major east-west route in north central
Mississippi. It was important enough that two large sections of it were 4-laned even
before the start of the 1987 Highway Program, the 4-lane section from the Mississippi
River to I-55 and the freeway section from Clayton Village to MS 12 in Columbus. The
remainder of freeway section was completed during Phase I of 1987 Program.
Construction Notes:
The Starkville Bypass, currently under construction, will be 12 miles long and will extend
the current freeway section on US 82 about 6 miles. Estimated completion is sometime
in 2001.
Design plans are currently being completed for a new 4-lane span across the Mississippi
River, roughly a half-mile south of the existing 2-lane span. Estimated cost is $200
million, but there is no funding currently available. This would tie into a 17-mile
Greenville bypass that is currently proposed. Both projects would be built to
Interstate standards.
What I'd Do:
Freeway it across the entire state.