Transportation Commissioners Clash Over Horn Lake
MDOT Commissioners Clash Over Horn Lake Signal Account and Regional Funding Split
Members of the Mississippi Transportation Commission disputed the history of a long-delayed Horn Lake traffic signal and argued over highway spending between north and south Mississippi at their September 9 meeting.
The dispute arose after a commissioner, addressing "Commissioner Simmons and Commissioner Busby," gave an account of the signal's history — tied to a fatal crash — that he said differed from one given earlier by Commissioner John Caldwell.
Caldwell objected sharply, telling colleagues: "My point was apparently got missed on somebody that we can afford to do a $450 million project Benny Thompson's district after already doing another project in Benny Thompson's district down on I20. How about doing something in Trent Kelly's district?"
Commissioners also disputed the true cost of the Jackson-area project during the exchange, with figures cited ranging from $45 million to $500 million.
The public disagreement touched on two sensitive issues for the commission: whether an account of a fatality-linked signal was accurate, and whether north Mississippi has received a fair share of major highway funding compared with other regions.