Mississippi Highway 550 (MS 550) is a 23-mile-long (37 km) state highway connecting Union Church and Brookhaven in southern Mississippi. The road travels through Jefferson and Lincoln counties.
 Mississippi Highway 550 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by MDOT | ||||
| Length | 23.144 mi[1] (37.247 km) | |||
| Existed | 1950–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  MS 28 in Union Church | |||
 US 51 in Brookhaven | ||||
| East end |  MS 184 in Brookhaven | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Mississippi | |||
| Counties | Jefferson, Lincoln | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Route description
editMS 550 begins at a Y-intersection with MS 28 in the community of Union Church, Jefferson County. The two-lane road heads southeast and later east through woodlands. The road crosses into Homochitto National Forest, enters Lincoln County, and crosses the Homochitto River. MS 550 winds through the national forest and reaches the settlement of Caseyville before formally exiting the forest's boundary. Continuing southeast, the road passes through more open fields, reaching the unincorporated community of Loyd Star (formerly known as Redstar) and the attendance center (school) of the same name. As MS 550 approaches Brookhaven, it passes under Interstate 55 (I-55) without an interchange. It enters the city at the I-55 overpass. Passing a rehabilitation center and some businesses, it reaches an intersection with U.S. Route 51 (US 51) where a railroad bisects the intersection. Heading into the city center, the highway carries the names Union Church Road, Congress Street, and Schwem Avenue. The road ends at an intersection with West Monticello Street and Turnbough Avenue; the former carries MS 184 east of here.[2]
History
editA state maintained gravel road had existed connecting Union Church and Brookhaven since at least 1928.[3] Some improvements were made to the road from this time to 1950 when it had formally received the MS 550 designation.[4][5] By 1953, the entire route had been fully asphalt paved.[6][7]
Major intersections
edit| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | Union Church | 0.000 | 0.000 | MS 28 – Fayette, Hazlehurst | Western terminus |
| Lincoln | Brookhaven | 22.569 | 36.321 | US 51 | |
| 23.144 | 37.247 |  MS 184 east (West Monticello Street) / Turnbough Avenue | Eastern terminus; western terminus of MS 184 segment | ||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
References
edit- ^ a b "MS Highways". Mississippi Geospatial Data Catalog. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
- ^ "Mississippi Highway 550" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- ^ Mississippi State Highway Department (1928). Condition Map of State Highway System (PDF) (Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Department. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- ^ Mississippi State Highway Commission (1949). Official Road Map State of Mississippi (PDF) (Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Commission. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- ^ Mississippi State Highway Commission (1950). Official Road Map State of Mississippi (PDF) (Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Commission. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- ^ Mississippi State Highway Commission (July 1952). Official Road Map State of Mississippi (PDF) (Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Commission. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- ^ Mississippi State Highway Commission (1953). Official Road Map State of Mississippi (PDF) (Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Commission. Retrieved March 19, 2022.