Final plans for improvement of the Highway 6 and Jackson Avenue intersection by the Mississippi Department of Transportation are in the works.

While the Board of Aldermen and other city officials have not yet seen the newest MDOT plans, alderman Brad Mayo said that there have been some concerns including the fact that there would not be an actual bypass but a road running north and south to help accommodate the traffic.

“I think it’s a win-win if we can get it done, because it will make it a safer intersection and will save MDOT a good bit of money to get it done in a timely manner,” Mayo said.

The plans to make the intersection easier for drivers have been in the works for approximately 12 years. At a recent meeting, MDOT and city leaders decided to start over with a simpler, less expensive plan.

Mayo said there have been many factors as to why the start of the project has been delayed, including the ever-growing population of Oxford, the size of the project and the need to work with the government.

Keith Purvis, MDOT assistant chief engineer for pre-construction, said until both MDOT and the City can agree on plans for the intersection, nothing is definite.

Mayo said the city government is expecting to see a draft of the plans in the next couple of weeks.

Until MDOT has finalized their plans, city officials do not know what kind of contribution the city will make in order to complete the project.

“MDOT is continuing to have discussions with the local public officials and are working towards a context-sensitive solution to present to the public, which will reduce congestion while providing a safe alternative for the traveling public that also enables the city and county to plan for future development,” Purvis said.