MDOT to Conduct Contraflow Drill Tues, June 16th
Hattiesburg, MS ---The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has scheduled a contraflow drill on Interstate 59 in South Mississippi for Tuesday, June 16. The contraflow drill will give MDOT personnel across South Mississippi an opportunity to test hurricane preparedness plans along the interstate and the Coastal Evacuation Plan around Hattiesburg.
The contraflow drill will not involve actual lane closures or reversals; workers will be given assignments and instructed on where to take equipment that will be used in the exercise.
“This important exercise ensures the readiness of MDOT’s emergency response plans,” said Transportation Commissioner Tom King. “While more than one hundred MDOT personnel will engage in the contraflow drill, traffic should not be impacted in any way during the exercise.” Crews will set up equipment along the shoulder of the interstate to prevent traffic delays. All participants will meet after the drill to conduct a de-briefing exercise to evaluate the operation.
In an effort to assist the state of Louisiana, MDOT will implement contraflow for Interstate 59 (and Interstate 55) when requested by Louisiana and approved by the Governor of Mississippi. The mandatory evacuation of the greater New Orleans area could occur as a result of category III, IV or V hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico.
Find ways to get prepared for hurricane season at www.GoMDOT.com/hurricanes. For current travel information visit www.MDOTtraffic.com, download the free MS Traffic app from the App Store or Google Play, or call 511.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is responsible for providing a safe intermodal transportation network that is planned, designed, constructed and maintained in an effective, cost-efficient and environmentally-sensitive manner. MDOT’s objective is to maximize taxpayer’s dollars by providing a safe, efficient multimodal network which enhances economic stability and growth.
