[03/13/02]The state will no longer maintain a portion of Mississippi 465 that provides access to Lake Chotard and Lake Albermarle.

The Mississippi Transportation Commission voted in October to abandon a 12-mile stretch of the rural highway between Brunswick in Warren County and Magna Vista in Issaquena County effective June 30. The road provides access to homes, public boat landings at Chotard and Albermarle and seasonal hunting camps.

The portion of the highway between U.S. 61 North and Eagle Lake is not affected by the decision.

The maintenance of Mississippi 465 is being turned over to the Mississippi Levee Board, but Jim Wanamaker, chief engineer of the levee board, said the board is not allowed to maintain a public road.

That portion of the highway runs along the top of the mainline Mississippi Levee, which is maintained by the levee board. According to a traffic survey in 2000, about 110 vehicles travel the road daily.

About 1,000 vehicles per day travel Mississippi 465 between U.S. 61 North and Eagle Lake.

District 2 Supervisor Michael Mayfield, whose district includes Eagle Lake and Lake Chotard, said Warren County may have to take over the maintenance of at least a 2.5-mile section of the road to the county line, but the entire board has not yet considered it.

Mayfield said he is hoping to meet with Wanamaker and officials from Issaquena County to determine what can been done with the road.