[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6551649,"mediaKeyId","5330441-c96144af60809afdf3bd82bc441743ed","parentId",5330441,"title","Commission reviews and approves preconstruction work assignments for I‑20/I‑55 freight corridor; phase A conceptual plans funded","audioSeconds",382,"startMs",611000,"endMs",993000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5330441-c96144af60809afdf3bd82bc441743ed&start=611&end=993","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5330441-c96144af60809afdf3bd82bc441743ed/thumbnail_611000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6551649/Mississippi/Commission-reviews-and-approves-preconstruction-work-assignments-for-I20I55-freight-corridor-phase-A-conceptual-plans-funded","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551649-501d7725c31f6748cf8520cc9269919b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770645822&Signature=UMWE3zd4HD42m3pwk7i~c0NSqnHrWsBuERL6LA4vRDB0fPcbhTtfkCMXgArkVjH9d5SuohvOIwHhy~wWyn1UUREVyymTIxJDMiMTxKxYpfLxo~1KLtfTkwPshGXib-z-9p1UFUmLdH-InTlwpYxUfcMHvDpblufRTnV~7xUnKR8tbqgM0Cp~PrPF3Q2Xz5R6nJ8g1vpqHrz8aQDp4SdW6Tn1sCIzJOwMnyrNJMtfPracxQ-tut6saBDdGvM0qdwVgrvWQSlIFrVfnGinil2J1It2wgf3AY1~omWQ84H0E61Bc-ajYGNb7s3aXqtQey5z1pET3qRGhlJN3FPQKnVJLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mississippi Department of Transportation","date","2025-07-03T13:48:52Z","article","The Mississippi Transportation Commission authorized multiple preconstruction work assignments and a supplemental bridge agreement to advance conceptual and survey work for improvements on the I‑20/I‑55 freight corridor.

Staff asked the commission to authorize the executive director to execute several work assignments under existing master services contracts to fund phase‑A surveys and conceptual design. The work assignments presented included: work assignment no. 10 under the roadway design master contract with Volker Incorporated (amount not to exceed $201,861.96); work assignment no. 9 under the roadway design master contract with Volcker Incorporated (amount not to exceed $108,976.82); work assignment no. 5 under the bridge services master contract with Volker Incorporated (amount not to exceed $793,182.51); and work assignment no. 4 under the bridge services master contract with Volker Incorporated (amount not to exceed $1,000,215.09). Commission staff also presented supplemental agreement no. 1 to work assignment no. 9 under a bridge services master contract with Garber LLC for phase‑B final construction plans on U.S. 82 at the Mississippi River bridge in Washington County; the supplemental agreement was listed at $137,172.36, producing a revised contract total of $1,028,125.56.

Commissioner Conway asked what “phase A” will produce and how many miles the corridor work covers. Staff said the phase‑A conceptual plans will produce roughly 30% plans (the initial evaluation of structures and identified improvements) and that the corridor length is “probably closer to 10” miles, according to staff remarks recorded at the meeting.

The agenda report also included a request to pass condemnation orders for listed parcels and to authorize indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) master contracts for right‑of‑way services statewide; each right‑of‑way firm’s master contract was capped at $1,500,000 and commission action was required for individual work assignments that exceed $250,000. Staff also proposed statewide professional surveying master contracts with a per‑firm cap of $2,500,000; commission action is required for work assignments above $250,000.

Commission members removed item 10 from the agenda on the dais with no objection; the full agenda (as amended) was later approved by vote, which carried the preconstruction authorizations as part of the agenda approval. The commission did not provide line‑item votes on each work assignment during the meeting.

County names listed in staff materials were Hinds, Rankin and Washington. The staff presentation described an alternative delivery method for the corridor work and said phase A would identify initial improvements and structure evaluations that will inform later design and delivery steps.

The commission did not provide a separate funding source breakdown in the meeting presentation; amounts above reflect the not‑to‑exceed values read into the public record.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","7/8/25 Mississippi Transportation Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Mississippi Transportation Commission authorized multiple preconstruction work assignments and a supplemental bridge agreement to advance conceptual and survey work for the I‑20/I‑55 freight corridor.","taxTitle","Transportation Commission, Agencies, Organizations, Executive, Mississippi","taxId",55252,"location","Mississippi","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6551654,"Mississippi DOT revives Engineers‑in‑Training rotation; 42 participants complete six‑month program",230,196000,426000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5330441-c96144af60809afdf3bd82bc441743ed&start=196&end=426","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5330441-c96144af60809afdf3bd82bc441743ed/thumbnail_196000.jpg","/articles/6551654/Mississippi/Mississippi-DOT-revives-EngineersinTraining-rotation-42-participants-complete-sixmonth-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551654-aab45c0f201a915c80d78fdc96e29dea/orig.mp4?Expires=1770645822&Signature=UA1zvi8f8DQ4lY2f0DeA5BtoD~Qcpyay9nD1ruWvI2mEWYSQBaPuPUSvToVEtcVxgRXEYjLwiruod~VVCctrBVVgI~1nFweJluA-1CTBFLwCapGau46bvlnWTuGPfhm8T8xewmbOI9noZXbZ1JzwmdiGLRO4g3vkP-FkFRXXj5~-FSYZl0fkMXykRPm0E~Knbp4UzKMP8h-pZoJLRd5ZF1~3FduJZlAvq2SpKLC5ZkV2LZazyFA-9bndAccNXUapHXI6qdmkJWTCodyaheloCP4cD1MvWZq3HllPsbOPq1IMKylp-iY7EWVt-aTTxDWZehlrkqNVbDqKQlAiIYG~kA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mississippi Department of Transportation formally reintroduced an Engineers‑in‑Training (EIT) rotation program, presenting 42 participants to the Mississippi Transportation Commission during its July meeting.

The program, described by Chief Engineer Earl as a return to a format used in the 1990s, gives early‑career engineers temporary assignments across MDOT divisions and districts so they can “understand the whole picture of what MDOT does,” Earl said. Coordinator Penny Hillman introduced the participants by district and division; the commission was told the year’s cohort numbered 42.

Commissioners and staff said the program promotes employee development and interdepartmental relationships that MDOT managers consider important for long‑term retention and job performance. Commissioner Busby praised the initiative as “so much more valuable” to the agency’s workforce development, and Earl said the rotations help engineers build the internal contacts they will need later in their careers.

MDOT listed participants from District 1 through District 7 and several divisions, including bridge, roadway design and environmental; staff read the roster aloud at the meeting. MDOT also credited human resources efforts that raised pay in recent years and thanked several staff members—Brad, Lisa and Terrence—for supporting program reinstatement.

The commission did not take a separate vote specific to the EIT presentations; the program was presented as part of routine staff reports. No budgetary figures for the program were provided during the presentation.

Going forward, MDOT staff said the rotation is intended to give full‑time engineers opportunities to work temporarily in other units so they can better evaluate career paths and build networks across the department.","The Mississippi Department of Transportation reintroduced a six‑month Engineers‑in‑Training rotation program to broaden new engineers' exposure to MDOT divisions. Chief Engineer Earl and coordinator Penny Hillman introduced 42 participants to the Mississippi Transportation Commission.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6551644,"Transportation Commission receives clean 2024 audit; approves payroll, vendor payments and several administrative contracts",0,1537000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5330441-c96144af60809afdf3bd82bc441743ed&start=1537&end=1537","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5330441-c96144af60809afdf3bd82bc441743ed/thumbnail_1537000.jpg","/articles/6551644/Mississippi/Transportation-Commission-receives-clean-2024-audit-approves-payroll-vendor-payments-and-several-administrative-contracts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551644-aa593ace351bdee63bf2fccc2df52c9a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770645822&Signature=eKZwIg8Py6fVrybOQgmqA16vjs-nAjH3jvec2Gfxo2lMhMzikfY2Fpl1vsWTsyZIhdj~L9o9WcNN7tNb6DoXbu93MBhsb1OleB40RXPzHXjHOXrwIENCnKAkjKbSJmSemptcZf6OCuVHMNXSEfvUboFNefrPMv6-5kw1WPvPuuxPH4Fjm8wL8GLQtMvWrvjJ68IjL0oXQyDNeeZhLPYoFhHQPGoAsOBHFcoNrDszWU6OV-8s4sJl~WsxUjDf3A~IvEk4pPYao25IbQ0xZZDWE~WAnCr7u61bjbm23B03fPD7XyNLkx4zLtIqI1LePYVj9EiajapMm0IRSvWNCCMvVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mississippi Transportation Commission received a report that the agency’s 2024 financial audit returned a clean opinion with no findings and ratified a series of administrative and financial actions during its July meeting.

An unnamed commissioner reported the audit result, thanking staff for their work and emphasizing that a clean report is significant for an agency with high transaction volume. Commissioners and staff praised the finance team and the executive leadership for managing the recent influx of federal and state funds that expanded MDOT’s project portfolio.

On routine financial matters, the commission ratified payment of accounts payable totaling $18,590,152.15 for the July 2–9, 2025 period and approved a payroll docket for the July 1–15, 2025 period “not to exceed” $5,000,000 plus statutory withholdings and authorized commissioners’ and the executive director’s salaries and expenses totaling $17,663.60 for the same pay period. The commission also approved the agenda and previous meeting minutes by voice votes.

Staff reported several administrative authorizations read into the record, including acceptance of insurance settlements: $2,871.09 from Travelers Insurance Company on behalf of Industrial Applications Incorporated as full settlement for bridge repair damage on I‑55 South (Bridge 257.6A) in Panola County, and $2,200 from Mississippi Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company on behalf of Jason B. Landrum for damage to a median cable barrier on I‑55 North at Mile Marker 83 in Hinds County. The commission authorized the executive director to execute the necessary release documents in both cases.

Other administrative items approved or placed on the agenda included: a request to use $85,000 in FY2026 aeronautics funds to support Civil Air Patrol operations; distribution of $2,406,773 in federal metropolitan/statewide planning funds (sections 5303 and 5304) and $601,696 in state funds to metropolitan planning organizations; and authorization to execute a work assignment with Mississippi State University to support the Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute 2025 at a not‑to‑exceed amount of $37,166.

Staff also proposed a memorandum of understanding to place automatic license plate readers and other permanently mounted law enforcement devices on state right‑of‑way; the item was presented in the agenda materials but drew no public discussion at the meeting. The Federal Transit Administration property disposal procedures were cited in staff remarks for disposition of a transit‑operated vehicle, and several procurement and contract extensions were listed with contract ceilings and termination dates in staff materials.

Commission legal staff presented authorization for legal services on a workers’ compensation matter with counsel Michael D'Antonio for up to $30,000 (period: 07/08/2025–08/31/2028). The commission approved the overall agenda (as amended) by voice vote and subsequently adjourned the meeting.

No member of the public raised comments on these administrative items during the meeting’s public portion, and staff did not present itemized roll‑call votes for each administrative authorization.","Commissioners ratified payments and payroll, accepted small insurance settlements, authorized aeronautics and planning fund distributions, and heard a report of a clean 2024 financial audit.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission reviews and approves preconstruction work assignments for I‑20/I‑55 freight corridor; phase A conceptual plans funded

Mississippi DOT revives Engineers‑in‑Training rotation; 42 participants complete six‑month program

Transportation Commission receives clean 2024 audit; approves payroll, vendor payments and several administrative contracts