Campus, city, MDOT committed to Hwy. 12 goals
Northern District Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert (l-r), MSU President Mark E. Keenum, and Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman participated in a signing ceremony to declare their commitment to the improvement of Highway 12. PHOTO: Russ Houston | Public Affairs
Representatives from Mississippi State University, the City of Starkville and the Mississippi Department of Transportation met last Thursday [Oct. 22] to formalize a shared commitment to improving Highway 12 in Starkville.
Highway 12 represents the major connection between the city and the 137-year-old land grant campus.
“This project that will benefit the city and university is an example of the progress that can be accomplished in a spirit of cooperation with a common purpose of bettering the community,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum.
Officials said the endeavor will improve safety for bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists at a crucial juncture connecting MSU and the Starkville community, while also enhancing the area aesthetically.
“The Highway 12 corridor and Russell Street intersection require additional development to make it safer not only for our commuters, but also for pedestrians who want to traverse from the Cotton District to our campus and vice versa. We’re all going to continue to work together to make these great things happen for this community,” Keenum added.
Northern District Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert said Highway 12 is a welcoming corridor.
“We want it to be safe, and we want it to be a major avenue of commerce and opportunity within Starkville, MSU and the entire region,” Tagert said.
“We look forward to the continuation of this partnership with the city and university and all that it means not only for Starkville and Oktibbeha County, but the entire region in our state. This is an economic center for the entire state, and we look forward to being a part of that solution,” he added.
Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman said the project will involve what may be the most significant corridor in the City of Starkville.
“Our hope is that after this project, we won’t think of it as being between MSU and the city, but rather we’ll think of it as being a part of the seamless connection that is Starkville and MSU,” Wiseman said.
MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.
Sasha Steinberg | Public Affairs
