MERIDIAN, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) – Work is now underway to address traffic congestion along the North Hills Street corridor, thanks to a $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s RAISE program.
Engineering firm Neel-Schaffer and its sister company Maptech have begun conducting survey work along the 6.7-mile stretch of North Hills Street. The study, which incorporates drone technology to capture aerial footage and photographs, aims to analyze traffic flow at key intersections and evaluate congestion during peak hours.
David Hodge, Director of Public Works for the City of Meridian, emphasized the importance of this data, saying, “Updated survey information and these photos and videos are crucial to compiling the current conditions that will be used to determine the best solutions to our congestion issues.”
The study will address several key questions regarding traffic on North Hills Street:
- What are the primary causes of congestion?
- When does traffic congestion occur most frequently?
- What areas are the most problematic?
- What solutions can be implemented?
- Should additional measures such as widening roads, adding turn lanes, or increasing traffic signals be considered?
The study is made possible through a $3.5 million grant awarded to the City of Meridian in Fiscal Year 2023. Hodge noted that the grant is fully federally funded, requiring no financial contribution from the city.
“This highly competitive grant will help us answer all those questions and develop solutions to ease traffic congestion on North Hills Street,” Hodge said.
Phase I of the study, known as the Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) Study, is expected to be completed by Fall 2025. This phase, which includes gathering public input from the community and stakeholders, will help formulate solutions, develop preliminary construction plans, and assess potential environmental impacts along the corridor.
“This phase, along with input from the community and stakeholders, will help us develop solutions,” Hodge said. “This will allow the development of preliminary construction plans and help determine any environmental issues along the corridor.”
The City of Meridian has set Fall 2026 as the target date for completing environmental reviews and finalizing construction plans based on the recommended improvements.
For more updates, residents and stakeholders are encouraged to stay involved as the study progresses.
Image Courtesy: City of Meridian
Image Courtesy: City of Meridian
