Barbour: Extend I-85 near Meridian

By By William F. West / community editor
Feb. 19, 2003
If elected governor in November, Haley Barbour said Tuesday that he would work with fellow Southern Republican governors to improve the region.
Barbour is the first Republican to announce his campaign for governor. If he wins the GOP nomination, he is expected to face incumbent Democrat Ronnie Musgrove in November.
Republicans now serve as governor in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas. Alabama's governor, Bob Riley, won his office last year.
Alabama is of particular interest to Barbour because it's his wife's home state. He said he has close relations with Riley and Alabama's two GOP U.S. Senators, Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions.
Barbour said he's talked with Riley, Shelby and Sessions about appropriating money to extend Interstate 85 from Montgomery, Ala., to Interstate 20/59 near Meridian.
I-85 begins near Richmond, Va., extends through Atlanta and ends in downtown Montgomery.
Motorists heading west from Montgomery to Meridian now use U.S. 80 part of which remains a two-lane highway. Alabama has planned to upgrade U.S. 80 through West Alabama.
But federal legislation also has provided for a study of possibly extending I-85. Riley hasn't announced his plans for highway construction in Alabama.
But Barbour said an interstate through West Alabama would greatly benefit Meridian and East Central Mississippi.