Airport Parkway (Mississippi)
Encyclopedia
The Airport Parkway is a major highway development project in the Jackson, Mississippi, metropolitan area
planned to connect Interstate 55
on the west, High Street in downtown Jackson
, Mississippi Highway 25 (Lakeland Drive), and Mississippi Highway 475
(Airport Road) in Flowood
at Jackson-Evers International Airport
in the east.
The 12 miles (19.3 km) project includes a new crossing of the Pearl River
. The entire road is planned to be operated as a toll road
. As of 2008, it was expected to open in 2012.
The Airport Parkway Commission that was formed in 1995 to help advance the project consists of the mayor
s of Pearl
, Flowood, and Jackson, the three cities through which the Airport Parkway would run. The U.S. Congress allocated $35 million for the project. The environmental impact statement
was completed in 1999. Right-of-way acquisition for the portion of the project in Rankin County
(about 40% of the total right-of-way requirement) was completed at a cost of $15 million. As of December 2007, the total cost to complete the project was estimated at about $400 million.
Jackson metropolitan area
The Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in the central region of the U.S. state of Mississippi that covers five counties: Copiah, Hinds, Madison, Rankin, and Simpson. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 497,197...
planned to connect Interstate 55
Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
on the west, High Street in downtown Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, Mississippi Highway 25 (Lakeland Drive), and Mississippi Highway 475
Mississippi Highway 475
Mississippi Highway 475 runs north–south from Mississippi Highway 25 in Flowood, Mississippi to Mississippi Highway 468 in Pearl, Mississippi. In Pearl, it dead ends in the area known as Whitfield- Locales on route :From north to south...
(Airport Road) in Flowood
Flowood, Mississippi
Flowood is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,750 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Flowood is located at ....
at Jackson-Evers International Airport
Jackson-Evers International Airport
Jackson-Evers International Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located in Jackson, Mississippi, five nautical miles east of the central business district of Jackson, across the Pearl River....
in the east.
The 12 miles (19.3 km) project includes a new crossing of the Pearl River
Pearl River (Mississippi-Louisiana)
The Pearl River is a river in the U.S. states of Mississippi and Louisiana. It forms in Neshoba County, Mississippi from the confluence of Nanih Waiya and Tallahaga creeks. It is long. The Yockanookany and Strong rivers are tributaries. Northeast of Jackson, the Ross Barnett Reservoir is formed by...
. The entire road is planned to be operated as a toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
. As of 2008, it was expected to open in 2012.
The Airport Parkway Commission that was formed in 1995 to help advance the project consists of the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
s of Pearl
Pearl, Mississippi
Pearl is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 21,961 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Flowood, and Jackson, the three cities through which the Airport Parkway would run. The U.S. Congress allocated $35 million for the project. The environmental impact statement
Environmental impact statement
An environmental impact statement , under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment". An EIS is a tool for decision making...
was completed in 1999. Right-of-way acquisition for the portion of the project in Rankin County
Rankin County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 115,327 people, 42,089 households, and 31,145 families residing in the county. The population density was 149 people per square mile . There were 45,070 housing units at an average density of 58 per square mile...
(about 40% of the total right-of-way requirement) was completed at a cost of $15 million. As of December 2007, the total cost to complete the project was estimated at about $400 million.