Hill Brothers Nears Completion of the Stack’s Phase Three

M.R. Gorringe
Mississippi Business Journal
mbj@msbusiness.com

            Completing the third phase of the STACK has been “a really good project” for Hill Brothers Construction of Falkner, which plans to maintain an office in metro Jackson when the work is completed.
            Paul Leonards, a vice president and area manager for Hill Brothers, says the various parties worked well together on the project.  He managed the project when it began.  After his promotion, Doug Horton began managing the project.
            When the work began in early 2003, Leonards lived in North Mississippi.  “I live here now.  My goal is to stay here,” says Leonards, who has been with the company almost 13 years.
            He says the company is doing other work in the area that he is managing.
            In addition to Mississippi, Hill performs work in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Alabama and Tennessee.

On track
            The third phase of the STACK project is on track.
            “Currently, the contractor is constructing additional lanes in the median of U.S. 49 South.  Once complete, traffic will be placed on these lanes and the existing bridges over the KCS Railway will be removed and replaced with new bridges.  It is anticipated that construction will be complete in the spring of 2008.  It is assumed that some sort of road opening ceremony will take place once the project is completed,” says Carrie Adams, a spokeswoman for the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT).
            Adams says the above part of the project came about when Richland, Pearl and KCS Railroad approached MDOT about including the raising and lengthening of the U.S. 49 bridges over the railroad instead of only widening them as was initially planned.
            “In order to address the different needs and concerns, Richland and Pearl, the KCS Railroad and MDOT executed the agreement that would allow for the bridge replacement and would raise the height and length over the railroad and Frontage Road.  The new bridges will allow for future expansion of the railroad and its services to the area,” says Adams.
            She notes it isn’t unusual for cities and a railroad to put money into a project like this one. 
            “MDOT executes agreements with other entities for funding portions of the projects that are of a special interest or need by these outside parties,” says Adams.

Up next?
            She says four phases were planned in the original study for the STACK.  “Phase IV of the study will be re-examined using today’s numbers to determine the feasibility of Phase IV.  Once this is complete and when funding becomes available, we will look at letting STACK IV.  It involves work to the west along I-20/55 back to Gallatin Street.  It will add additional lanes to I-20/55 and rework the State Street and Gallatin Street Interchanges. 
            The combined total for Phase I and II was $55 million.  STACK III is currently projected to cost $65 million and STACK IV is estimated at $40 million for a total of $160 million, says Adams.
            MDOT executive director Larry L. “Butch” Brown says, “The STACK improvements are a definite asset to the people of Mississippi as well as a convenience for the traveling public.  With approximately 129,000 vehicles traveling through the STACK area daily, this vital link, which connects I-55, I-20 and U.S. 49, will improve the flow of traffic and the improvements will allow for a safer transportation network, which is MDOT’s mission”
            Hill Brothers provided a roving service patrol at the beginning of the project to assist the public in case of a flat tire or any type of car problem occurring in the project area. The service also towed abandoned vehicles off the highway to keep the median safe.  At this stage of the project, the patrol is now being used on U.S. 49.