NATCHEZ — The asphalting of the four-lane portion of the overlay project on Martin Luther King Jr. Road is complete, and the rest of the work will be done over the next several weeks.

Mississippi Department of Transportation Engineer Ken Morris said the two-lane portion of the project — which is paving Mississippi 555, also known as Martin Luther King Jr. Road, from its intersection with Lynda Lee Drive to Airport Road — still has to be completed.

“There are some guard rails they still haven’t put up at the intersection (with Lynda Lee), and they are doing some curb cutting at the red light where they are going to put in a crosswalk,” Morris said.

“They had to cut the existing concrete islands where the walkways were going to be.”

The $1,567,347.73 project began in early July.

The road’s asphalt is being milled and replaced, and a portion of the highway is being widened. Rumble strips are also being added in some places.

When the asphalting of the two-lane portion of the highway is completed, gravel will be added to the shoulder of the road, Morris said.

The project requires some lane closures, and Morris said the lane striping that has been heretofore done has been temporary in nature. The permanent thermoplastic striping will not go down until the road construction has been completed for approximately a week-and-a-half.

“You have to let the asphalt cure for 10 days before you put the striping on or the asphalt will burn that striping off,” Morris said.

W.E. Blain and Sons have been contracted for the project.