Contact: James Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University and Oktibbeha County are working together to improve safety and traffic flow on the areas of Blackjack Road adjacent to the MSU campus.

Oktibbeha County has applied for a $3 million grant from the Mississippi Development Authority that will be used to expand the north end of Blackjack Road between Stone Blvd. and Hardy St. and add pedestrian safety measures at heavily trafficked intersections. The grant, which comes from Mississippi Economic Development Highway Act funds, requires a 10 percent match, which MSU has agreed to pay on behalf of Oktibbeha County. If the grant is approved, the substantial improvements could be complete as early as fall 2017.

Kathy Gelston, MSU’s associate vice president for corporate engagement and economic development, said identifying funds for improving Blackjack Road has been a priority since coming to MSU in 2014.

“There’s still some more actions that have to happen to get final approval, but everything is on track for that,” Gelston said. “I continue to be in contact with MDA and have expressed the university’s concerns about safety. We’re getting great cooperation from the county and MDA and we’re doing everything we can to partner with Oktibbeha County to make sure that road gets improved.”

Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors President Orlando Trainer said he is glad to partner with the university to address one of the county’s most important infrastructure needs.

“We have many needs across the county and Blackjack has been a high-priority issue for us,” Trainer said.

The plans, designed by County Engineer Clyde Pritchard, include “slip lanes” on the north side of Blackjack that will allow for improved traffic flow and efficiency at two busy intersections. Each intersection also will be equipped with pedestrian signaling and striping, increasing the safety of students that cross the road to get to and from the MSU campus.

A portion of the grant money will go toward drainage and wetlands mitigation costs associated with the project. The university will provide an easement to Oktibbeha County for part of the ditch that runs along Stone Blvd. next to the old intramural fields.

“There will be a bottomless culvert built along the intramural fields with sidewalks on top of it,” Gelston said. “That means that we’ll have a better ingress and egress for pedestrian traffic and we’ll also deal with our wetlands issues that expanding the Stone/Blackjack intersection is going to cause.”

The grant application was prepared by the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District. If funding is approved, the project will be overseen by the Mississippi Office of State Aid Road Construction. University and county officials are aiming for the bulk of the construction to take place during the summer of 2017. As the project moves forward, all individuals on the MSU campus or in the surrounding area are encouraged to make safety a top priority.

“Safety is everyone's responsibility, and we all need to make a personal commitment to follow the rules of the road, avoid distracted driving and share the road with bicyclists and pedestrians,” Starkville in Motion President David Harned said. The local organization promotes the development and maintenance of bike lanes, sidewalks and trails in Starkville and Oktibbeha County.

The proposed improvements to Blackjack between Stone Blvd. and Hardy St. come at a time when three additional projects in the area are either planned or under construction. The new south entrance road, currently under construction, will connect to Blackjack at the Stone Blvd. intersection. MSU, the City of Starkville and Oktibbeha County have partnered to extend the Lynn Lane bike and pedestrian path to Blackjack through a federal Transportation Alternatives Program grant. Additionally, Oktibbeha County is exploring options for improvements to Blackjack between Hardy and Bardwell Rd., which encompasses a heavily-populated area.

“There will be challenges—there is with every road issue—but I really think everybody is moving in the same direction and wants the same things,” Gelston said. “I think we have a path to success. By this time next year, we should have a much-improved road.”

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.

---

MSU encourages safe practices for all motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians

STARKVILLE, Miss.—As Mississippi State University’s enrollment continues to grow and more people utilize campus, university officials are encouraging good safety habits for anyone traveling in a car, on a bicycle or on foot.

 “Whether you are biking, walking or driving on campus, the best safety advice we can share is to be aware of your surroundings and reduce distractions,” MSU Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt said. “You cannot always count on the person around you to be attentive to your actions, so take responsibility for knowing where you are going, who is around you, and be alert for any potential accidents.”  

Anybody traveling on the MSU campus should keep in mind the following safety tips, compiled from MSU, the Mississippi Department of Transportation, Bike Walk Mississippi and Starkville in Motion:

—Pedestrians should remember to look both ways before crossing a crosswalk.

—Motorists should be prepared to stop at all crosswalks, remain alert and reduce speeds in areas with crosswalks.

—Pedestrian crosswalks are not meant for bicycles and bicycles using a marked bicycle path should use rules of the road while approaching an intersection with a roadway and come to a complete stop prior to proceeding through the intersection along the marked bicycle path. Automobiles are not required by law, nor equipped with the reaction time, to stop for bikes shooting across crosswalks. It is best for bicyclists to use crosswalks to walk their bicycle through the crosswalk as a pedestrian.

—Cyclists should use extreme caution and slow down or walk their bicycles when interacting with pedestrians. Cyclists should not use sidewalks and walkways when pedestrians are present.

—When on the street, cyclists should ride with traffic and stay as close to the curb or road edge as possible. For more bicycle safety tips, see www.smart.msstate.edu/announcements.

—Motorists should give bicyclists at least three feet of space between the vehicle and the bicycle, as required by state law.

—If pedestrians must walk on the street, walk facing traffic and pay attention to oncoming traffic.

Students, faculty, staff and campus visitors are encouraged to become familiar with campus safety policies, local ordinances and applicable state laws.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.