County supervisors approve Hwy 7 agreement with city, state transportation commission

Published 1:07 pm Tuesday, December 7, 2021

The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors approved a Memorandum of Agreement with the City of Oxford and the Mississippi Transportation Commission on Monday night to provide safety improvements on Highway 7.

For the past few years, the county officials, city officials and the Mississippi Department of Transportation have been working together to bring forth this agreement to fund improvements on the University Avenue and Highway 7 interchange which will enhance the safety and convenience for drivers.

According to board President Mike Roberts, Lafayette County remained on the outskirts of the main conflict while the city and MDOT went back and forth over the funding and how the agreement would require each jurisdiction to proceed.

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The county did not have any additions or changes to the MOA and relied on the city, he said.

“[It’s] a long time coming and I was proud of the way the city came back and negotiated with MDOT for the betterment of all of us,” Roberts said. “That infrastructure affects not just city residents but county as well.”

All parties finally agreed that Oxford, Lafayette County and Mississippi Transportation Commission will contribute up to $1 million each to the highway project and through the commission’s contribution, the Mississippi Legislature’s $4 million in bonds will be issued to fund the project as well.

In addition, the Legislature has authorized $750,000 to be used for the intersection improvements and $250,000 for the project pursuant.