MS: Major reroute of US 278 near Tupelo

[oscar]

Driving east toward Tupelo earlier today, I noticed US 278 had been realigned a lot around Pontotoc and again east to US 45 in Tupelo, from my car's nav system (which I keep with its original ~2007 data, to help me spot realigns). The HB reflects the first realign, but not the second, which moves the route's junction with US 45 south by two interchanges.

I'll be claiming US 278 mileage in MS west of US 45, in my next list file update. That will reflect my travels on the new alignment, since I never traveled the old alignments.

[froggie]

The rest of that southern bypass of Tupelo didn't exist the last time I looked at the MS lists.  I knew it was coming, but they've also been trying to build that for 20 years...

[rlee]

The Google Street view on US 45 NB shows the update signage on US 45.
The Green St exit (GreSt) is now US 278/MS 6 West, Pontotoc with no mention of Green St (link).
At the US 278/MS 6/Main St exit (US278/6), whatever minimal signage there was for US 278 is gone with MS 6 changed to MS 6 East to go with To MS 178 (link); no big changes there.

Looks like I get to take several miles of US 278 off of my clinched list.

[rlee]

US 278/MS 6 has been relocated to a new 4 lane route from the US 45 Green St exit to the partial interchange west of MS 342 east of Pontotoc.  The new highway is a 4 lane divided highway with a mix of at grade intersections and a mix of interchanges and Natchez Trace style interchanges.

Interchanges and major intersections are at:
- Trace State Park (old US 278/MS 6, partial interchange). The signage did not state the new name of the old highway, just "Trace State Park."
- MS 342 (at grade intersection)
- Bissell Rd (Trace style exit)
- Natchez Trace Pkwy (Trace style exit)
- Graham Dr (Folded diamond interchange)
- Thomas St? (Interchange under construction)
- MS 145 (at grade signal at what was previously US 45 & Green St intersection)
- US 45 (existing US 45 Green St interchange)

US 278 continues south on US 45 as it had before. MS 6 has a new concurrency with US 45 from US 278 north to the Main St exit where it rejoins its old alignment. The old US 278/MS 6 from the Trace State Park exit to US 45 is now under local maintenance and is not signed as a state or US highway.

[rlee]

Also... the signage for for affected exits on US 45 are:

The Green St exit (GreSt) is now US 278/MS 6 West, Pontotoc/Oxford (no Green St anymore).
The Main St exit (US278/6) is now MS 6 East, To MS 178, Main St/Downtown Tupelo.

[froggie]

Files updated and pull request submitted.