MDOT turns 101 years old
- Derek PIerce
- Mar 31, 2017
- 2 min read
|This is a press release from the Mississippi Department of Transportation
JACKSON, Miss. - In 2016, the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) officially began its second century of service to the people of the state on March 29, 100 years after the Mississippi Legislature created the Mississippi State Highway Commission in 1916. Today, the centennial year ends as MDOT turns 101 years old, the same year the State of Mississippi celebrates its 200th birthday.
Last year, the Magnolia State celebrated its evolving transportation history over the past century. Since the first road was paved in Lee County in 1915, Mississippi’s transportation network has evolved considerably. MDOT’s first century of service has seen great advancements and investments in Mississippi’s transportation network.
At two events, members of the public gathered in front of MDOT’s Administration Building in Jackson to celebrate the organization’s 100 years of service. The event featured past and current MDOT Commissioners and leadership; national, state and local elected officials; current and former MDOT employees; Mississippi Native and American Country Music Recording Artist Steve Azar; and Mississippi Miss Hospitality Erin Morgan.
At a centennial anniversary event, a time capsule was sealed by the Mississippi Transportation Commission commemorating 100 years of service. The time capsule will preserve a visual record of what the world, state and transportation look like today, and will remain sealed in the lobby of the MDOT Administration Building until March 29, 2066. From photographs to technology and maps to manuals, the time capsule will inform people about this era in history along with the projects, priorities and people of MDOT over the past 100 years.
Throughout last year, MDOT celebrated 100 years of service by recognizing several major milestones that shaped the state’s transportation history. For the full story on Mississippi’s transportation history, including an interactive timeline narrated by Azar and photos of the time capsule, visit GoMDOT.com/MSDOT100.
MDOT unveiled a memorial in honor of its fallen workers on the Capitol Complex in Jackson. The memorial serves as a tribute to the workers who lost their lives in service to transportation in Mississippi. Learn more about the memorial online at GoMDOT.com/DriveSmartMS.
Today, MDOT maintains 30,000 highway miles, inspects and maintains 5,829 bridges, and supports over 2,600 rail miles, 150 airports, 69 public transit providers and 16 ports. For the next 100 years, MDOT will continue working to build a transportation infrastructure strong enough to sustain future economic growth across the entire state. Follow @MississippiDOT on social media as Mississippi transportation begins a new next era and use #MSDOT100.
