The city of Ridgeland is pursuing funding so it can remove the center turn lane on part of U.S. 51 and replace it with median islands and dedicated left turn lanes.
“The current center turn lane was designed decades ago for a much lower traffic volume than Highway 51 carries today,” said Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee. “As traffic has increased, that continuous two-way left turn lane has become one of the primary contributors to crashes along the corridor.”
Corridors with continuous center turn lanes have higher rates of angle crashes, rear-end collisions and visibility conflicts because drivers are entering and exiting from multiple directions at the same time, he said.
Replacing the continuous turn lane with a raised median and defined turn locations significantly reduce conflict points and create a safer corridor for drivers, pedestrians and businesses, he said.
Similar projects like County Line Road in Ridgeland and others across Mississippi have shown meaningful reductions in serious crashes after medians are installed, he said.
A raised median with defined turn lanes provides three major benefits that include improved safety, better traffic flow and safer access for customers reaching businesses, he said.
“When turning movements are controlled and predictable, crash rates drop,” McGee said. “Drivers are no longer guessing when someone may suddenly turn across traffic from the center lane.”
Dedicated turn lanes keep through traffic moving and reduce sudden stop in the travel lane, which often improves travel times and makes access in and out of businesses more orderly, he said.
With a dedicated turn lane and a raised median, access points to businesses are more clearly defined and, in some cases, make it easier and safer for drivers to enter businesses by removing uncertainty and improving visibility, he said.
The estimated project cost to remove from Highway 51 the two-way continuous left turn lane from West County Line Road to Rice Road and construct raised islands with dedicated left turn lanes is $12 million to $14 million, McGee said. The project is currently in the planning and grant application stage, and the final construction costs will be determined during engineering and design.
The city of Ridgeland plans to work closely with MDOT, property owners and businesses throughout the design process. “There will be opportunities for input, and we will focus on maintaining reasonable access while making needed safety improvements,” he said.
The city of Ridgeland has applied for Metropolitan Planning Organization safety grant funding to help cover a portion of the project costs, he said.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation already has funding in place for a major overlay project and would serve as the lead agency on design and construction if funding is awarded, McGee said.
McGee said he expects the city will hear about the award of the grant in May and the project would begin in 2027. “I do not know at this point when the project would be completed,” he said.
Highway 51 is one of Ridgeland’s most important commercial corridors, and local businesses are vital to the city, McGee said.
“This project is about improving safety and ensuring the corridor continues to thrive long term,” he said.
The concept of dedicated left-turn lanes and raised media is nothing new.
The addition of landscaped medians along Highway 51 was identified in the 2008 Ridgeland Area Master Plan as part of the community’s long-term vision for this corridor. More than 500 residents, business owners, and stakeholders participated in shaping that plan, and Highway 51 was specifically designated as a key Focus Area, McGee said.
For many in Ridgeland, Highway 51 is considered our “Main Street.” This project helps bring that long-standing community vision to life by improving safety while also enhancing the appearance and character of one of our most visible corridors. The addition of raised, landscaped medians will create a more attractive, orderly, and welcoming environment for residents, visitors, and businesses.
