Mississippi Highway 444
{{short description|Highway in Mississippi}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox road
|state=MS
|type=MS
|route=444
|map={{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-lat=34.0446 |frame-long=-90.7960|zoom=11|type=line|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Mississippi Highway 444}}}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=MS 444 highlighted in red
|length_mi=6.578
|length_km=
|length_round=
|length_ref={{Cite report |author=Mississippi Department of Transportation Planning Division |date=December 31, 2011 |title=Mississippi Public Roads Selected Statistics Extent, Travel, and Designation |url=http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Programs/Statistics%20Book/2011%20MDOT%20Public%20Roads%20Statistics%20Extent%2C%20Travel%2C%20and%20Designation.pdf |publisher=Mississippi Department of Transportation |access-date=April 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514212501/http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Programs/Statistics%20Book/2011%20MDOT%20Public%20Roads%20Statistics%20Extent%2C%20Travel%2C%20and%20Designation.pdf |archive-date=May 14, 2014 |url-status=dead }}
|established=1958
|direction_a=West
|terminus_a={{Jct|state=MS|MS|1}} near Round Lake
|junction=
|direction_b=East
|terminus_b={{Jct|state=MS|US|61|US|278}} in Duncan
|previous_type=MS
|previous_route=442
|next_type=MS
|next_route=446
|counties=Bolivar
}}
Mississippi Highway 444 (MS 444) is a short highway in western Mississippi. Its western terminus is at MS 1, and travels eastward through {{convert|6|mi|km|spell=in}} of farmland. The route enters Duncan, and ends at U.S. Route 61 (US 61) and US 278, its eastern terminus. MS 444 was designated in 1958, and became paved two years later.
Route description
File:MS444 West - Shade in Duncan (31407248578).jpg
All of the road is located in northern Bolivar County. In 2012, Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) calculated as many as 750 vehicles traveling west of US 61/US 278, and as few as 330 vehicles traveling east of MS 1.{{cite web|title=MDOT Traffic Count Application|url=http://mdot.ms.gov/applications/trafficcounters/|publisher=Mississippi Department of Transportation|access-date=May 6, 2014}} MS 444 is legally defined in Mississippi Code § 65-3-3,{{cite web|title=Mississippi Code Of 1972 As Amended - SEC. 65-3-3. State highways designated.|url=http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/mscode/|publisher=Mississippi Legislature|access-date=April 21, 2014}} and is maintained by MDOT as part of the state highway system.
MS 444 starts at a T-intersection with MS 1 and travels eastward. The route travels through farmland in a straight line. MS 444 intersects Caston Road, a dirt road that also leads to Duncan. MS 444 continues east, intersecting minor dirt roads. East of Yates Road, the road enters a small area of trees, before re-entering to more farmland. The route curves slightly to the southeast about {{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}} later, at Sandy Ridge Road. MS 444 soon crosses the Hushpuckena River, and enters into Duncan. Near the center of Duncan, the route intersects the old alignment of US 61. The road continues east and ends at a T-intersection with US 61.{{Bing maps|url=http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=34.049337~-90.799538&lvl=13&sty=h&rtp=pos.34.046399_-90.853485_near%20MS-1%20%26%20MS-444%2C%20Duncan%2C%20MS%2038740___a_~pos.34.042533_-90.739679_near%20Main%20St%20%26%20US-278%20E%2C%20Duncan%2C%20MS%2038740___a_&mode=D&rtop=0~0~0~&form=LMLTCC|title=Mississippi Highway 444|access-date=July 7, 2014}}
History
MS 444 was designated in 1958, as an unpaved road from MS 1 to US 61.{{Cite map|url=http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201957%20Front.pdf|cartography=Mississippi State Highway Commission|publisher=Mississippi State Highway Commission|title=Official Road Map of State of Mississippi|year=1958|access-date=May 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514210625/http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201957%20Front.pdf|archive-date=May 14, 2014|url-status=dead}}{{Cite map|url=http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201958%20Front.pdf|cartography=Mississippi State Highway Commission|publisher=Mississippi State Highway Commission|title=Official Road Map of State of Mississippi|year=1958|access-date=May 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514210635/http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201958%20Front.pdf|archive-date=May 14, 2014|url-status=dead}} The route became paved by 1960.{{Cite map|url=http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201960%20Front.pdf|cartography=Mississippi State Highway Commission|publisher=Mississippi State Highway Commission|title=Official Road Map of State of Mississippi|year=1960|access-date=April 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419014513/http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201960%20Front.pdf|archive-date=April 19, 2014|url-status=dead}} In 1967, US 61 was rerouted to its east, no longer passing through Duncan.{{Cite map|url=http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201965%20Front.pdf|cartography=Mississippi State Highway Commission|publisher=Mississippi State Highway Commission|title=Official Road Map of State of Mississippi|year=1965|access-date=July 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514210831/http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201965%20Front.pdf|archive-date=May 14, 2014|url-status=dead}}{{Cite map|url=http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201967%20Front.pdf|cartography=Mississippi State Highway Commission|publisher=Mississippi State Highway Commission|title=Official Road Map of State of Mississippi|year=1967|access-date=July 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514210845/http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201967%20Front.pdf|archive-date=May 14, 2014|url-status=dead}} By 1999, US 278 was designated, concurrent with US 61 through MS 444's eastern terminus.{{Cite map|url=http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201998%20Front.pdf|cartography=Mississippi Department of Transportation|publisher=Mississippi Department of Transportation|title=Official Highway Map of Mississippi|year=1998|access-date=May 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514211734/http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201998%20Front.pdf|archive-date=May 14, 2014|url-status=dead}}{{Cite map|url=http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201999%20Front.pdf|cartography=Mississippi Department of Transportation|publisher=Mississippi Department of Transportation|title=Official Highway Map of Mississippi|year=1999|access-date=May 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514211755/http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/planning/Maps/State%20Highway%20Maps%20Archive/HWY%20Map%201999%20Front.pdf|archive-date=May 14, 2014|url-status=dead}}
Major intersections
{{Jcttop|state=MS|county=Bolivar|length_ref=}}
{{MSint
|location=none
|mile=0.000
|road={{Jct|state=MS|MS|1|city1=Rosedale|city2=Gunnison|city3=Round Lake|city4=Rena Lara}}
|notes=Western terminus}}
{{MSint
|location=Duncan
|mile=6.578
|road={{Jct|state=MS|US|61|US|278|city1=Cleveland|city2=Shelby|city3=Alligator|city4=Clarksdale}}
|notes=Eastern terminus}}
{{Jctbtm}}
See also
- {{portal-inline|Mississippi}}
- {{portal-inline|U.S. Roads}}
References
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
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