Hattiesburg, Mississippi – On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, the Hattiesburg City Council voted unanimously to name the Hall Avenue overpasses in honor of two leaders whose public service has shaped the city’s past, present and future: State Representative Percy W. Watson and U.S. Senator Roger F. Wicker.
The Hall Avenue East Overpass will be named the Percy W. Watson Bridge, honoring the longtime legislator, attorney and community advocate. First elected in 1979, Watson has represented what is now House District 103 for more than four decades. He has chaired several key House committees, becoming the first African American to lead the Ways and Means and Judiciary A committees. Rep. Watson has been instrumental in securing state funding for numerous capital projects in Hattiesburg. A graduate of both Rowan High School the University of Iowa College of Law, Watson also serves as the board attorney for the Hattiesburg Public School District and remains active in local civic and philanthropic efforts.
“Representative Watson has been a steady and trusted voice for Hattiesburg, especially for neighborhoods in East Hattiesburg. Through his knowledge, loyalty to his district and effectiveness as a lawmaker, he has served as an example of what every legislator should aspire to be,” said Mayor Toby Barker. “It is fitting to name the city’s first overpass after a statesman who was the ‘first’ in many areas of public life.”
The Hall Avenue West Overpass will be named the Roger F. Wicker Bridge, recognizing the senator’s leadership in securing federal funding for both overpasses. Wicker helped obtain a $5.39 million CRISI grant and a $13.22 million BUILD grant, two highly competitive federal awards that enabled the city to move forward with the project.
“Both Hall Avenue overpass projects work in tandem to solve transportation challenges that have existed in our city for more than a century,” said Barker. “Senator Wicker was instrumental in seeing the vision and taking up Hattiesburg’s cause at the federal level. His advocacy ensured that Hattiesburg was competitive for these highly sought-after grants, and without him, these projects wouldn’t have been possible.”
The Hall Avenue overpasses, along with the Johnny L. Dupree Public Safety Complex, represent more than $75 million in local, state and federal investment aimed at reducing congestion, improving emergency response access and supporting long-term economic development in East Hattiesburg.
The Percy W. Watson Bridge opened in November 2024, and the Roger F. Wicker Bridge is expected to open this spring.
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