Ground Turned on New Bridge Connecting LeFleur's Bluff, Museums

A new pedestrian and bicycle bridge is rising over Lakeland Drive, and it's about to change how Jackson gets to its museums.

Construction has begun on the crossing that will link the north side of the LeFleur Museum District to downtown, setting the stage for a bigger trail network across the city.

A rendering of the coming Lakeland Drive bridge for The Museum Trail
Credit: Weir Boerner Allin

Construction has officially begun on a new pedestrian and bicycle bridge that will connect museums, parks, and trails in Jackson – including the LeFleur Museum District – with downtown museums.

The bridge crosses Lakeland Drive at Jamie Fowler Boyll Park, one of the city's busiest roads, directly linking destinations that, until now, visitors could only reach by car

What the Bridge Connects

The new crossing ties together four of Mississippi's flagship museums: the Mississippi Children's Museum and the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science on the south side of Lakeland with the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum on the north.

Why It Matters

Lakeland Drive carries roughly 40,000 vehicles a day, according to Mississippi Department of Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons, a volume that has made crossing on foot nearly impossible until now. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who began pushing for the project with a local architect back in 2011, called it "a bridge to success." Jackson Mayor John Hohrn added that the project brings connectivity "in a way that has never occurred in the city of Jackson before," tying together neighborhoods from LeFleur East through to downtown's Two Mississippi Museums and out to Jackson State University.

LeFleur Museum District leaders, Jackson Mayor John Horhn, Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann, Senator Cindy Hyde Smith, Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons and many others turned dirt during the ceremony held on August 19 at LeFleur's Bluff

Part of a Bigger Trail Network

The bridge began as a federal grant awarded in 2021 and is designed as one piece of a larger, multi-county trail system planned over time. It's also the first major construction project undertaken by the newly formed LeFleur's Bluff Conservancy.

Who's Behind It

The project is a partnership between the Mississippi Department of Transportation, the City of Jackson, and the LeFleur's Bluff Conservancy, chaired by Susan Garrard. Early momentum came from a lead gift from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, with continued support from the Great City Mississippi Foundation.

What It Means for Jackson

Standing beside her husband, Robert Lampton — a Great City Mississippi Foundation and LeFleur’s Bluff Conservancy board member — Pryor Lampton said the bridge is about more than getting from one museum to another. "Jackson has tremendous promise," she said. "We want young people to come home, build their lives here, raise their families here, and feel proud of this city." As she put it: "A great city deserves a great urban park." The bridge, she added, "connects people, places and communities, and it connects the investments we make today with the future we want for Jackson."

Paul Wolf

Author

Paul Wolf

Paul is the Director of Destination Storytelling at Visit Jackson, managing the website, Soul Sessions podcast, and travel journalism initiatives. Drawing on three decades in communications, he brings expertise in writing, photography, video, and podcasting to showcase what makes Jackson special. When he's not working, Paul enjoys running, exploring the local food scene — great craft beer, coffee and BBQ.
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