NATCHEZ — Transportation advocates  from three states gathered in Natchez on Friday afternoon to discuss progress on plans for a future interstate that would stretch across Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Members of the I-14 Coalition said they are ready to act when Congress decides to move forward on a transportation or infrastructure bill.

During the meeting, coalition members detailed commitments they had received from local municipalities, chambers of commerce, state delegation and a wide range of officials that would be directly related to the proposed interstate.

The biggest progress on the interstate appears to be in Texas here portions of the highway have already been built.

Current proposals plan for the I-14 to stretch from westernmost edge of Texas to Jasper, Texas, then to Alexandria, Louisiana and Natchez. From Natchez the highway would follow U.S. 84 to Brookhaven, Laurel and Meridian.

Natchez, Inc. Director Chandler Russ said the coalition has all the support it needs to move forward. Chandler said support from local leaders, state transportation officials and other leaders in all three states is strong.

“Unfortunately that is not the problem. The problem is actually moving bills through Congress,” Russ said. “That is the hold up right now.”

Russ said with the current atmosphere in Washington, D.C., few bills are moving through Congress.

“The last transportation bill they approved was probably three years ago,” Russ said. “There is still gridlock in Congress and in order for us to move forward some of that gridlock has to ease up.”

Russ said coalition members are all in agreement about one thing.

“They are ready to go at any point,” Russ said. “When it looks like a transportation bill or infrastructure bill is going to have legs, they are ready to do that.”

Russ said he cannot predict when that will happen.

“Like (Coalition Chairman Judge John Thompson) said, he doesn’t have a crystal ball. He can’t read the future,” Russ said.