Mississippi Department of Transportation workers fill in potholes along I-20 westbound lanes just east of Indiana Avenue exit Tuesday. One lane of traffic in the westbound lane was blocked for repairs over a one-mile stretch. (The Vicksburg Post/MELANIE DUNCAN)

[06/27/01] More patching under way along a bad stretch of Interstate 20 through Vicksburg is to be followed by an asphalt overlay in the next few weeks.

Road engineers say keeping the road up to standards is tough, given that in 10 years’ time, traffic along the interstate here has nearly doubled.

“It’s horrible,” said Jack Curtis, whose North Frontage Road business, Captain Jack’s Bent & Dent Groceries, faces one problem area between the Indiana Avenue and Halls Ferry exits.

Particularly, he said, the problem is that pothole repairs are not level with the road and that has caused several large trucks to blow out tires.

“It sounds like a shotgun going off,” Curtis said.

Lamar Davis of the Mississippi Department of Transportation said the patches are the best his department can do until the resurfacing contractor gets to the stretch.

“The ride is not smooth, but it is better than the potholes themselves,” he said.

MDOT figures show about 41,000 cars pass daily over the mile-long stretch of highway, up from 33,000 in 1995 and 24,400 in 1990.

Davis said MDOT patched potholes along the stretch Tuesday and was expected to return Wednesday.

The stretch between the Mississippi River Bridge and Halls Ferry is under contract for overlay. Part of that work has been done.

In another contract, American Field Service Corp. of Madison will be paid $200,000 to resurface I-20 for the 2.5 miles from Halls Ferry Road east to the bridge over Old Highway 27. The work is set to be completed by this August.

A patched pothole about 100 yards east of Curtis’ business was blamed Sunday when a Texan, 29-year-old Robert Tyler, said the horse trailer he was pulling hit a bumpy asphalt patch on the concrete, knocking the trailer loose and sending it across the median and into oncoming traffic.

The trailer was hit by two cars that couldn’t swerve around it, injuring at least two of the occupants.