JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Officials with the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced crews will shift traffic to the new inside lanes of Interstate 55 in Jackson and begin work on the outside in each direction.

According to MDOT, the shift will take place at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 6. The I-55 northbound Pearl Street off-ramp will also close for this phase of work, in addition to the I-55 southbound on-ramp from Pearl Street that is currently closed.

Crews have completed the hydro-demolition and concrete pours on the inside lanes and will shift efforts to the outside lanes after the traffic switch.

MDOT officials said crews will shift traffic to the left (inside) lanes on I-55 northbound first. Once the northbound shift is complete, the same shift will take place on the southbound side of I-55. 

On Friday, March 7, at 8:00 p.m., the outside lane of the I-20 eastbound to I-55 northbound flyover bridge in Jackson will be closed. Traffic is expected to be reduced to one lane for approximately nine months.  

According to MDOT, the repair work is part of a larger preservation project that includes jacking and structural repairs, epoxy injection and installation of joint seals on the flyover bridge, in addition to the hydro-demolition and overlay of the bridge decks on I-55 over the Pearl River.