Mississippi Highway 553
Mississippi Highway 553 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained byMDOTandCity of Fayette | ||||
| Length | 23.041 mi[1](37.081 km) | |||
| Existed | c. 1956–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  US 61inStanton | |||
| US 61inFayette | ||||
| North end | Harriston Road inHarriston | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Mississippi | |||
| Counties | Adams,Jefferson | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Mississippi Highway 553(MS 553) is astate highwayinAdamsandJeffersoncounties in southwesternMississippi.The highway runs fromU.S. Route 61(US 61) inStanton,loops to the west around US 61 and theNatchez Trace ParkwaytoFayette,and extends further north toHarriston.Within Jefferson County, MS 553 passes numerouslocations on the National Register of Historic Places.
Route description
[edit]The highway begins at the intersection of thedividedUS 61 (part of theGreat River Road) and State Park Road in Stanton, within the northern portion of Adams County. State Park Road leads south toNatchez State Park.MS 553 heads north, passing a couple of houses, and wooded areas. About3⁄4mile (1.2 km) from its start, MS 553 intersects theNatchez Trace Parkwayat an at-grade junction. Just north of this intersection, MS 553 makes a sharp curve to the east with a side road providing access to theEmerald Mound site.Crossing into Jefferson County, the state highway winds its way north through wooded areas. The road eventually reachesChurch Hillhome to many nationally recognized historic places includingCedar Grove Place,Christ Church,andOak Grove.MS 553 heads northeast past more churches and some open fields before curving to the east.[2]
After this turn, MS 553 passes two additional historic sites:RichlandandSpringfield Plantation.The road crossesColes Creekand again intersects the Natchez Trace Parkway, this time at a grade-separatedone-quadrant interchange.Continuing southeast, the road passes through wooded areas until it reaches the city limits of Fayette at its second intersection with US 61. The intersection is set up as asuperstreetintersection, through traffic along MS 553 must utilize crossovers along US 61 about1⁄2mile (0.80 km) from this intersection. MS 553 heads into the city center along Rodney Road. State maintenance of the highway temporarily ends just before its intersection with Main Street. MS 553 turns north onto Main Street heading through the city's business district. At Harriston Road, MS 553 turns off Main Street and state maintenance resumes. Heading past numerous homes, it heads east away from the city and begins a slow curve to the north. MS 553 ends at the intersection of Harriston Road and Old Harriston Road (Old Highway 61) in the community of Harriston.[2]
History
[edit]MS 553 first appeared on state maps in 1956 however references to it was referenced in construction bids dating back to 1955.[3][4][5]The highway only consisted of the segment from Stanton to Fayette, with the portion from Church Hill to Fayette being hard-surfaced. By 1958, the highway was extended to Harriston.[6]In 1960, MS 553 was legislated further east toDennis CrossroadsatMS 552,however this portion remained a county road.[7]It was trimmed back to its Harriston terminus by 1967.[8][9]
Major junctions
[edit]| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | Stanton | 0.000 | 0.000 |  US 61/Great River Road/ State Park Road –Vicksburg,Natchez,Natchez State Park | Southern terminus |
| | 0.763 | 1.228 |  Natchez Trace Parkway | ||
| Jefferson | | 13.080 | 21.050 | Natchez Trace Parkway | Quadrant interchange |
| Fayette | 20.231 | 32.559 | US 61/Great River Road–Vicksburg,Natchez | Superstreetintersection | |
| Harriston | 23.041 | 37.081 | Harriston Road / Old Harriston Road | Northern terminus | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
References
[edit]- ^ab"MS Highways".Mississippi Geospatial Data Catalog.RetrievedJune 1,2021.
- ^abGoogle(March 20, 2022)."Mississippi Highway 553"(Map).Google Maps.Google.RetrievedMarch 20,2022.
- ^Mississippi State Highway Commission (1956).Official Road Map State of Mississippi(PDF)(Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Commission.RetrievedMarch 19,2022.
- ^Mississippi State Highway Commission (1957).Official Road Map State of Mississippi(PDF)(Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Commission.RetrievedMarch 19,2022.
- ^"Ask Bidding On 35 Road Projects In 29 Counties".Sun Herald.May 9, 1955.RetrievedMarch 20,2022.
- ^Mississippi State Highway Commission (1958).Official Road Map State of Mississippi(PDF)(Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Commission.RetrievedMarch 19,2022.
- ^Mississippi State Highway Commission (1960).Official Road Map State of Mississippi(PDF)(Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Commission.RetrievedMarch 19,2022.
- ^Mississippi State Highway Commission (1965).Official Road Map State of Mississippi(PDF)(Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Commission.RetrievedMarch 19,2022.
- ^Mississippi State Highway Department (1967).Official Road Map State of Mississippi(PDF)(Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Department.RetrievedMarch 19,2022.