Mississippi Highway 481 marker

Mississippi Highway 481

Route information
Maintained by MDOT and City of Morton
Length35.487 mi[1] (57.111 km)
Existed1953–present
Major junctions
South end MS 35 near Burns
Major intersections
North end MS 43 in West Leesburg
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMississippi
CountiesSmith, Scott, Rankin
Highway system
← MS 478→ MS 482

Mississippi Highway 481 (MS 481) is a state highway in the west-central region of Mississippi running just under 35+1⁄2 miles (57.1 km) in length, signed as a north–south highway. The highway, designated in 1953, runs from MS 35 in rural Smith County inside the Bienville National Forest to MS 43 in West Leesburg, Rankin County.

Route description

MS 481 southbound within the Bienville National Forest near MS 902

MS 481 begins at a rural T-intersection with MS 35 in the Bienville National Forest. The two-lane state highway heads west, making numerous S curves in a wooded area. Some houses and sheds line the road as well. In the settlement of Burns, the highway meets MS 902, a former connector of MS 481, at its southern terminus.[2] MS 481 continues in a general westerly direction, through a more forested area, until turning north at the settlement of Trenton. The highway enters Scott County and continues north through the national forest. It reaches the unincorporated settlement of Pulaski where houses, churches, and a post office surround the settlement's main intersection. As MS 481 continues to head north, it reaches Interstate 20 (I-20) at a diamond interchange (exit 80) with no traveler's services provided in the vicinity.[3]

Concurrency of MS 481 and MS 13 in Morton

North of the interchange, MS 481 turns to the northwest. At the Morton city limits, the road name changes to Fifth Street, state maintenance ends, and city maintenance continues for the next 0.8 miles (1.3 km).[4][3] This portion of the highway is signed "To MS 481" with shields and "Hwy 481 S" on street signs. Houses surround the highway inside the city limits. The road curves to due north where business begin to line the road. At a signalized intersection with U.S. Route 80 (US 80), MS 481 heads west along it forming a concurrency. At this point, the highway is two lanes, but includes a center turn lane. Less than one mile (1.6 km) later, US 80/MS 481 reach a four-way stop-controlled intersection with MS 13. MS 481 turns north along MS 13, a four-lane divided highway, first crossing a railroad at-grade before narrowing to a two-lane road. At the next intersection, MS 481 breaks off the MS 13 concurrency to head northwest along a two-lane road. Curving to the north, MS 481 reaches a clearing where farm fields surround the road. The state highway formally exits the national forest before curving to the west at the community of Branch. Crossing into Rankin County, MS 481 passes through Leesburg. Later, at the settlement of West Leesburg, also known as Billbros Corner, MS 481 reaches its end at MS 43.[3]

History

MS 481 was created in 1953 only running from MS 35 to Morton, though previously, the portion from Morton to West Leesburg had been part of the state highway system as a portion of MS 43.[5][6] The extension of MS 481 north of Morton, restoring the road to the state highway system, occurred in 1956.[7][8] A new bypass around the west side of Morton opened in 1974 and MS 481 was routed onto it.[9][10] The rerouting led to the removal of a 0.7-mile-long (1.1 km) section of road, still officially named "Hwy 481 N," from the state highway system.[3]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Smith​0.0000.000 MS 35 – Forest, RaleighSouthern terminus
​2.1023.383
 MS 902 north – Forest		Southern terminus of MS 902
Scott​17.954–
18.171		28.894–
29.243		 I-20 – Meridian, JacksonExit 80 (I-20)
Morton21.73134.973
 US 80 east		Southern end of US 80 concurrency
22.66736.479


 US 80 west / MS 13 south to I-20 – Jackson, Puckett, Roosevelt State Park		Northern end of US 80 concurrency; southern end of MS 13 concurrency; to Scott Regional Hospital
23.32037.530
 MS 13 north / Highway 481 N		Northern end of MS 13 concurrency
Rankin​35.48757.111 MS 43 – Pisgah, Sand Hill, Pelahatchie, Ross Barnett ReservoirNorthern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. 1 2 "MS Highways". Mississippi Geospatial Data Catalog. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  2. ↑ Mississippi State Highway Department (June 30, 1980). Smith County Mississippi Traffic and Planning Survey M-D 6 Section Map (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Department. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Google (October 17, 2021). "Mississippi Highway 481" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  4. ↑ Mississippi Department of Transportation Planning Division (December 31, 2019). Mississippi Public Roads Selected Statistics Extent, Travel, and Designation (PDF) (Report). Mississippi Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  5. ↑ Mississippi State Highway Commission (July 1952). Official Road Map State of Mississippi (PDF) (Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Commission. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  6. ↑ Mississippi State Highway Commission (1953). Official Road Map State of Mississippi (PDF) (Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Commission. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  7. ↑ Mississippi State Highway Commission (1955). Official Road Map State of Mississippi (PDF) (Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Commission. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  8. ↑ Mississippi State Highway Commission (1956). Official Road Map State of Mississippi (PDF) (Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Commission. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  9. ↑ Mississippi State Highway Department (1973). Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Department. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  10. ↑ Mississippi State Highway Department (1974). Official Highway Map of Mississippi (PDF) (Map). Jackson: Mississippi State Highway Department. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
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