Black Jack Road will finally receive repaired as part of a project expanding the south entrance. The road work will be completed before school starts back in August.
Mississippi State University pursued funding in Washington, D.C., in 2005.  Kyle Steward, executive director of external affairs, said the purpose was to construct a new south entrance into campus.
 ”The roadway would run from Poorhouse Road near the Mississippi Horse Park to the intersection of Stone Boulevard,” Steward said in an email.
Funding for the south entrance project has been a multi-year effort.  Funds have totaled $17 million in appropriations bills and in two federal highway bills. Some of the funding will require a 20 percent match.
While MSU is working closely with the Mississippi Department of Transportation, officials hope to offset a significant portion of the cash match by providing in-kind contributions, such as land and services.
 
Engineering will still continue on the south entrance and will begin construction sometime in 2014.
“This new path to campus will greatly aid traffic flow by reducing pressure on South Montgomery Street and offering another major thoroughfare for alumni, faculty, staff and students who travel to campus from the Highway 25 corridor,” Steward said.
Part of the south entrance project included the repair of Black Jack Road. 
Black Jack Road runs from the intersection at Locksley Way through the roundabout at the intersection of Oktoc and Blackjack Roads. 
Marvell Howard, president of Oktibbeha Board of Supervisors, said before construction could begin, an Interlocal Agreement had to be made.
An Interlocal Agreement combines the city of Starkville, Mississippi State and Oktibbeha County. 
The agreement specifies that all parties give their permission to MSU to be the leading entity over the construction of Black Jack Road. 
“All local governments had to enter a proposal joint effort,” Howard said.
Mayor Parker Wiseman was asked to provide data and  the extent of the information.
“We were very happy to complete that request.  We are very excited.  It is a road that receives quite a lot of traffic from the community, and it is in bad shape and this should dramatically improve the road conditions,” Wiseman said. 
The cost of repairing and resurfacing Black Jack Road is estimated at $900,000 to $950,000.