A draft of the environmental assessment for the proposed relocation of the Bob Anthony Parkway at the reservoir will be the focus of a public hearing this month.
The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District has proposed the Bob Anthony Parkway Relocation Project, an east/west multimodal corridor to be located south of the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Hinds, Madison and Rankin counties.
The hearing is scheduled Feb. 15 from 5-7 p.m. at the Rankin Reservoir Community Center at 2230 Spillway Road in Brandon.
The draft of the environmental assessment addresses concerns about the northern long-eared bat, migratory birds, Canada geese and eagle nests.
The draft says that “any tree removal activities that occur during the proposed project must take place in the non-maternity/non-breeding season (which is from September 1 to May 15) to minimize impacts to the northern long-eared bat and migratory birds” and “nesting sites for Canada geese should be avoided and surveys for eagle nests should be conducted by the USFWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and office contacted if any are observed.”
The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District has received $3.5 million in funding that will be used for the assessment and project design. The district does not have funding for construction.
The proposed relocation would improve an existing 3.1-mile segment of the Bob Anthony Parkway (Spillway Road) by moving it off the dam, which would facilitate better traffic flow.The project is a long-range one that is projected to cost about $133 million and would take several years to complete.
The proposed new road would be four lanes of elevated roadway, much like I-55 near Manchac, La., said John Sigman, general manager of the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District.
The new road would serve several purposes, he said, one of which is allowing for 18-wheeler traffic through the area.
Commercial vehicles in excess of one ton are prohibited on the parkway, which means those vehicles must take an 18-mile detour to travel to the other side of the dam.
The new parkway would be able to support 18-wheeler traffic.
Sigman said the proposed road would also help relieve rush hour traffic that accumulates on the parkway. Average daily traffic counts with the project corridor clock is at about 30,000, with a projection of about 40,000 in 2040.
