Heavy Rains Likely Cause Of Landslide That Closes Part Of Highway 178

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) –  A portion of Highway 178 in Lee County is closed, after a landslide causes major damage to the roadway. The problem was compounded by a leak in a water line in the same location.

A portion of the westbound lane of Highway 178 near Mooreville shows the aftermath of the landslide.  Huge cracks in the asphalt, and massive dips in the road.

“This one is a substantial slide that will take more work,” said Matt Dunn, who is MDOT’s assistant district engineer over maintenance.  He was called out to the section of 178 Sunday, after a motorist said the road looked “broken.”  Dunn and his team discovered the landslide on a steep slope, just north of the highway.   The decision was made to close part of the road.

“We have the road blocked, on our traffic alerts from Highway 371 to Treetop Lane,but basically the road that’s actually closed is right here at the slide,” Dunn said.

Pressure from the ground, saturated from heavy rains, could have caused the soil to wash out from under the asphalt, and  that likely put enough pressure on a 36 inch water line, causing a leak in the pipe that serves Tupelo. Crews with the Northeast Mississippi Regional Water Supply District were on scene for that repair.

“This type pipe has a real good service life, been utilized places, in some cases, 100 years is not uncommon, there’s no break in the pipe, this appears when whatever causes ground to move a little bit, pulled a section of pipe loose, from other pipe it was stuck into,” said Melvin Orr, of the NE MS Regional Water Supply District.

Although it’s a relatively small portion of 178 that is shut down, it does impact traffic and possibly local businesses.  That’s why the workers at Tin Top Grill hope repairs are made as soon as possible.

“It’s been a little slower today, but not bad.  There’s still several ways to get here from Tupelo,” said Courtney Haynes, of Tin Top Grill.

The damaged water line was repaired by the end of the day.  It will take longer for MDOT engineers to determine how best to fix the damaged roadway.

Alternate routes for motorists include old 178, and Interstate 22.   There are only four homes located along the closed portion of 178 but those residents will have access to their driveways and houses.