Work begins May 11 on dangerous crossing

RED BAY — Construction is expected to begin in May to reconfigure a dangerous intersection located 4.7 miles southwest of Red Bay in Mississippi.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) plans to build a restricted crossing U-turn, or RCUT, at the intersection of Highways 23 and 76. The design limits direct left turns and routes some movements through U-turn lanes to reduce conflict points.

The project’s notice to proceed date is May 11 with completion expected in the spring of 2027, said Matt Dunn, MDOT District 1 engineer.

During construction, crews will work along both the outside and inside edges of the Highway 76 travel lanes. Standard lane closures will control traffic.

While crews build the left-turn islands, traffic will move through crossovers on the east or west side of the Highway 23 intersection along Highway 76, depending on the direction of travel.

Dunn said the intersection and roadway originally met nationally recognized American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) design standards. He said the department began monitoring crashes after receiving reports from MDOT.

“The types of accidents are reviewed,” Dunn said. “MDOT assembled a review team to determine the RCUT as the treatment.”

Seth Burkett, North Region communications coordinator for the Alabama Department of Transportation, said ALDOT has installed several RCT intersections in north Alabama. He said the construction generally causes only “localized traffic impacts.” The work doesn’t involve closure of an entire intersection, “just the median crossover part of the intersection.”

Burkett said traffic is rerouted through nearby median crossovers, not detoured to other highways.

Red Bay Police Chief Janna Jackson said her department has responded to wrecks at the intersection even though it is in Mississippi.

“If we are notified of any wreck in our area, we respond to try to assist,” she said.

Jackson said speed plays a major role in how serious crashes are at the crossing.

“The speed limit is 65 mph on the four-lane, which can increase the likelihood of serious injury and tragedy when a wreck happens,” she said. “We encourage drivers to use caution at all of the intersections with the four-lane.”

For drivers who use the crossing daily, the concern goes beyond traffic patterns and construction schedules. A petition on Change.org calling for a red light at the intersection had drawn more than 1,700 verified signatures as of Friday afternoon.

It describes the intersection as a safety concern for drivers near the Alabama-Mississippi state line and urges officials to install a red light.

Ricky Scott, who said he lives about two miles from the intersection in Mississippi, said he passes through it multiple times a day during the workweek and often on weekends.

“I live outside of Red Bay in Mississippi within two miles or so of the intersection,” Scott said.

He said the route is part of his regular driving routine.

“Every morning between 6 and 7, every evening between 3:30 and 4:30 and two to three times a week at lunch and multiple times on weekends,” Scott said in describing when he travels in the area.

He said his views of the intersection changed after he was among the first people at the scene of a recent crash.

“I along with others on the scene assisted in helping remove the victims from the vehicle until full medical support could arrive,” he said, noting that experience has stayed with him.

“As a father this really got to me knowing this could have been a family member which crosses the intersection often if not daily,” Scott said. “My heart goes out to all the victims and their families.”

Scott said he feels frustrated that it took a fatal crash to force serious discussion about changes.

“I just hate that it came to the loss of a life before serious talking of actions that needed to be done,” he said. “I hate that a young boy lost his life that had his whole life ahead of him. It doesn’t take a polished politician to know that there should have been something done long ago.”

Another regular driver, Destiny McCollister, said she goes through the intersection once or twice a week.

“I’ve seen several close calls,” she said, “one being a car not stopping at the stop sign and pulling out in front of an 18-wheeler. They were lucky to have made it across safely before the 18-wheeler got to them. I think the biggest issue would be people just simply not paying attention.”

Even with changes coming, McCollister said she doubts the redesign will fix the problem.

“I think the planned changes are a Band-Aid on a bullet hole,” McCollister said. “It won’t fix anything.”