The lights on I-55 at Meadowbrook Road are working again.
“We had a contractor replace the underground wires for the two high-mast lights and about eight low poles that were out at Meadowbrook Road at I-55,” said Michael Flood, a spokesman for the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT), which is responsible for maintaining lights on the interstate.
“Those are back working now.”
MDOT has plans to replace the bulbs in all the high-mast lights on I-55 between Lakeland Drive and County Line Road.
“Unfortunately, the weather has prevented us from these repairs,” Flood said. “As soon as the rain lets up and the wind forecast is less than 10 miles per hour, we will make these repairs.”
The replacement process can take up to an hour at each light depending on the height of the pole that holds the high mast light.
“It’s not as easy as plugging in a new bulb,” Flood said. “The bulb and ballast kit must be replaced altogether as the bulb is driven by the ballast.”
MDOT has a contract with Garver, LLC, to inventory and assess the existing interstate lighting in the Jackson metro area and produce conceptual design plans and cost estimates, he said.
After the assessment is complete, the contractor will provide conceptual design plans and cost estimates for the replacement of existing hardware and upgrades to LED lighting fixtures. The conceptual design plans will include recommendations about enhanced security measures to protect wiring, fixtures and power supplies, Flood said.
MDOT will evaluate the plans and estimates and program construction projects for the work needed to make the repairs and upgrades, he said.
A contractor is lined up to upgrade the low-mast lighting to LED on I-55 between McDowell Road and Byram, Flood said. “We’re hopeful the contractor can start this work in the next couple of weeks,” he said.
