On a recent visit to Clarksdale, Joe Grist said he supported four-laning four highways in North Mississippi and Highway 6 to Clarkdale was one of them.
Grist is running for Mississippi Transportation Commissioner of the Northern District. A native of Calhoun County, he is running as a Democrat.
Other highways listed as top priorities by Grist included Highway 25, Highway 15 and Highway 7.
“Everybody gets something,” said Grist, who explained North Mississippi has missed out on highway development at the expense of the area around Jackson and the Gulf Coast. “The way it has happened in the past is not fair and we deserve our share.”
Grist said highways are the lifeblood of economic development and where the highway go, the growth follows.
“Highway 6 from Clarksdale to Batesville is an obvious choice,” said Grist. “Connecting Interstate 55 with a bridge crossing the Mississippi River just makes sense.”
He pointed out Highway 6 becomes Highway 278 and reaches to Tupelo.
“That is the perfect East/West corridor for north Mississippi,” said Grist.
A former two-term member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and a veteran of both manufacturing and construction, Grist said he knows the ropes and can get things done in Jackson.
So how does he plan to fund highway construction in North Mississippi?
“There is money in Jackson for highways, they just didn’t want to do it last session,” said Grist. “Some things you just have to do, and building highway is one of those things.”
Grist said a comprehensive highway plan for the state is the obvious solution.
“Industry and business can’t move things around the state and you can’t get anywhere quickly on two-lane roads,” said Grist. “We have to have infrastructure. Clarksdale is growing. You need a 4-lane highway serving this community.”
