Pete Buttigieg Secretary of Transportation | Official website
Last week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Mississippi alongside Congressman Bennie Thompson to tour infrastructure projects funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The visit included groundbreaking ceremonies and meetings with local leaders.
Secretary Buttigieg began his trip in Rosedale on Thursday, where he joined Congressman Thompson, Mississippi Transportation Commission Chairman Willie Simmons, and community leaders at the Rosedale Bolivar County Port. The port received nearly $9 million in federal funds to improve efficiency and lower costs for Mississippians, particularly those in rural communities reliant on the port.
In Greenville, Secretary Buttigieg participated in a town hall with local officials and community leaders from the Mississippi Delta to discuss regional infrastructure needs.
On Friday morning, the Secretary toured Total Transportation of Mississippi’s truck driver training facility. He participated in an inspection and parking demonstration alongside FMCSA Acting Deputy Administrator Sue Lawless and met with women and veterans employed by TOTAL who represent the recruitment goals of the Biden-Harris Trucking Action Plan.
Later that day, Secretary Buttigieg visited the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument in Jackson for a tour led by Reena Evers-Everette. Following this, they attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the “Rebuilding Medgar Evers Boulevard” project. Funded by a $20 million RAISE grant from the Biden-Harris Administration, this project aims to reconstruct a 1.5-mile section of Medgar Evers Blvd into a pedestrian- and transit-friendly roadway.
The Secretary concluded his visit at Tougaloo College for a town hall with state and local leaders from Jackson. They discussed how President Biden’s Infrastructure Law is fostering growth across Mississippi.
Clarion Ledger reported on Everette's gratitude towards Buttigieg and Thompson: “(It's about) raising the bar of excellence for the community... I just wanted to say thank you very much.”
WAPT Channel 16 highlighted Buttigieg's emphasis on lowering costs and improving supply chains through critical infrastructure investments.
Delta News noted that "expanding the capacity and reliability of this port is an investment in prosperity" according to Buttigieg while discussing plans for updating conveyor systems at Rosedale Bolivar County Port.
Mississippi Today covered details of improvements planned for Medgar Evers Boulevard such as more sidewalks, better sewer lines, street lights, which aim to make travel safer and easier within Jackson.
The Associated Press quoted Rep. Bennie Thompson emphasizing transportation equity: "This down payment will fix some of the problems associated with years of neglect — potholes, businesses that have closed because there's no traffic."
