Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall said construction plans are being drawn for the South Frontage Road extension to the Outlets at Vicksburg.

“We have completed the right of way phase. Construction plans are being drawn,” Hall said.

This plan will cause extensive utility relocation in the area, and Hall emphasized the project will take time. He said construction would begin as soon as the utilities are moved.

Margaret Gilmer, general manager of the Outlets at Vicksburg, said moving the utilities located in front of Cracker Barrel and Baymont Inn is the next phase. She was told the estimated date for the utilities to be completely moved for construction to begin is early 2017.

Even though Vicksburg is going to have to wait a little while for the road to be complete, funding has been secured.

“The good news is the legislature has provided the adequate funding,” Hall said.

Gilmer said a bond was sold around Oct. 1 to fund the project.

“My understanding is the money should be in the state treasury waiting for them to finalize the construction plans,” Gilmer said. “The design is complete and the right of way has been purchased.”

Hall promised the road would be built.

“If I don’t, I can’t come back to Vicksburg,” Hall jokingly said.

The announcement was made at the Vicksburg Warren County Chamber of Commerce luncheon and drew applause from the crowd.

Gilmer said she has been lobbying for 10 or 15 years for the road expansion. The easy access to town and the free flow of traffic is what she finds the most exciting.

“They could get on Frontage Road and go from one end of the city to the other without getting on I-20,” Gilmer said.

The expansion will greatly affect the outlets by opening the flow of traffic to an area that Gilmer said is essentially situated on a dead end street. She has had costumers comment on how difficult it is to get to the mall, especially from those who are traveling westbound on I-20 and can’t turn south on Clay towards the outlets. If those customers get off at Indiana Avenue they run into a dead end where South Frontage Road ends.

Gilmer believes the expansion will make it more inviting for people to move around town.

“The main thing that it will mean for us is getting that traffic flowing more freely down the Frontage Road out to Indiana and on to the other points in the city, Home Depot, Pemberton, those areas,” Gilmer said.