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Interstate 59 Southbound - Meridian to Hattiesburg
| Interstate 59 South |
| East of the city of Meridian, is this exit on Interstate 20 west/Interstate 59 south. Exit 157B/A is for the U.S. 45 freeway bypass east city with 41,036 residents. This bypass takes traffic southward to Quitman and northward towards Lauderdale. Photo taken 12/08/00. |
| Blurry photograph of Interstate 20/59 advance guide signage for the split on westbound. This interchange is situated in a forested setting, which is a theme maintained by both Interstates throughout southeastern Mississippi. Interstate 20 crosses the Bienville National Forest midway between this exit and the Jackson metropolitan area. Photo taken 12/08/00. |
| Westbound Interstate 20 at the split with Interstate 59 south. Note that New Orleans makes it as a second control city for Interstate 59 southbound. Both Interstates receive a light amount of traffic between this split and their respective control cities. All guide signs for the Interstate 20 & 59 junction were replaced during 2002. Photo taken 12/08/00. |
| Interstate 59 leaves the Exit 99 diamond interchange with U.S. 11 as both highways enter the city of Laurel. U.S. 84 west joins the freeway ahead from Chantilly Street at Exit 97. Photo taken 06/12/04. |
| Shortly after their merge, Interstate 59 south & U.S. 84 west join Mississippi 15 north at Cook Avenue (Exit 96B). Photo taken 06/12/04. |
| Mississippi 15 north travels 41 miles from its beginning at U.S. 98 in Beaumont through Richton, Ovett, and western reaches of De Soto National Forest to meet Interstate 59 & U.S. 84 at a partial-cloverleaf interchange with Cook Avenue. Cook Avenue continues north from Exit 96B to U.S. 11 (5th Street / Cross Street) as the original Mississippi 15 alignment. Photo taken 06/12/04. |
| Interstate 59 south & U.S. 84 take an abrupt westerly turn into the Exit 96B interchange with Mississippi 15 (Cook Avenue). Mississippi 15 travels 28 miles south to Richton (junction Mississippi 42). Northbound joins the freeway briefly between Exits 96B and 95B. Photo taken 06/12/04. |
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| Exit 96B leaves Interstate 59 south & U.S. 84 west for Cook Avenue south of its intersection with 1st Street / Central Avenue. Use Central Avenue northwest into downtown Laurel. Exit 96A lies one half mile ahead as a split-diamond interchange with Masonite Road and 4th Avenue, north-south streets linking Maple Street with an industrial area south of the freeway. Photo taken 06/12/04. |
| Interstate 59 south, U.S. 84 west, and Mississippi 15 north enter the 1961-opened "Laurel Curve" section of freeway between the U.S. 11 (Ellisville Boulevard) and Norfolk Southern Railroad under pass and 13th Avenue overpass. Constructed between 1955-61, the Interstate 59 freeway, originally planned as U.S. 11, includes a substandard "S" curve within the vicinity of the Beacon Street interchange (Exit 95B). Because of the road curvature and design, speed limits drop to 40 mph. The third lane on the right adds in from the Exit 95C/Beacon Street on-ramp to become exit-only at for Beacon Street. The guide signage on the right indicates that Southeastern Baptist College traffic should use Exit 95B. Photo taken 06/01. |
| Exiting the "Laurel Curve" on Interstate 59 south, U.S. 84 west, and Mississippi 15 north. Attached to the 13th Avenue overpass is the first overhead for the Exits 95B/A full-cloverleaf interchange which sees the departure of the U.S. 84 west & Mississippi 15 north onto 16th Avenue north. A third westbound lane joins the freeway from Beacon Street for Exit 95B. 16th Avenue south continues from Interstate 59 to Airport Road and U.S. 11 (Ellisville Boulevard). MDOT let a construction contract to rebuild Interstate 59 at the Laurel Curve on June 27, 2006. Redesign of the roadway will replace the existing "S" curve and Beacon Street interchange with a straighter freeway and new partial-cloverleaf at Exit 95C. Photo taken 06/01. |
| Backlit due to late afternoon sunshine, this sign bridge directs U.S. 84 west and Mississippi 15 northbound traffic off of Interstate 59 at Exit 95B. The two highways stay cosigned northward along 16th Avenue 0.6 miles to 5th Street before splitting to their respective directions to Collins and Bay Springs. Photo taken 06/01. |
| Interstate 59 returns to a southern trajectory as it prepares to depart from the city. This photograph shows the Exit 95A cloverleaf ramp for 16th Avenue south. Signage indicates a truck ban on the street, probably due to the proximity of Laurel Municipal Airport nearby. 16th Avenue ends at U.S. 11 (Ellisville Boulevard) in one mile. Photo taken 06/01. |
| Continuing southwest, Interstate 59 travels two miles to the Laurel city line on its own. Photo taken 06/12/04. |
| U.S. 11 (Ellisville Boulevard) intersects the freeway at Exit 93 on the city line. The federal highway continues west of Interstate 59 by industrial parks associated with the municipal airport. Photo taken 06/12/04. |
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| Exit 93 leaves Interstate 59 southbound for U.S. 11 (Ellisville Boulevard) in south Laurel. U.S. 11 continues west of the freeway through Walters. Photos taken 06/12/04. |
| U.S. 11 shield and guide sign posted at the end of the Interstate 59 southbound off-ramp at Exit 93. U.S. 11 north travels a short distance to the South Mississippi Fairgrounds. Photo taken 06/12/04. |
| Approaching Exit 73 for Monroe Road on Interstate 59 northbound. This rural interchange is situated near the community of Moselle in pine forest country. Photo taken 06/01. |
Page Updated November 26, 2007.
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