JACKSON, MISS. – After Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) was faced with the monumental task of rebuilding or repairing nearly every major route along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Now, 20 years later, MDOT is releasing a documentary that chronicles the restoration of infrastructure through the stories of those at the forefront of recovery efforts.
Titled “MDOT Remembers Hurricane Katrina: 20 Years Later,” the documentary includes first-hand accounts of the devastation and recovery of vital infrastructure in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Former Gov. Haley Barbour, Southern Transportation District Commissioner Charles Busby, MDOT Executive Director Brad White, Former MDOT Executive Director Melinda McGrath and a host of former MDOT engineers are featured in the documentary.
In the nearly 30-minute video, the narrative that emerges is not simply a retelling of how bridges were rebuilt, it’s a behind-the-scenes look at the major infrastructure recovery that took place and the men and women behind the contracts, cranes and bulldozers. It will serve as a time capsule for anyone curious about how connectivity was restored along the Mississippi Gulf Coast following a storm of epic proportions.
Next week, MDOT plans to release the full documentary on its Youtube channel @MississippiDOT. Throughout the week, shorts of the video will be posted to MDOT’s social media channels. Follow @MississippiDOT on Facebook, Instagram and X to watch MDOT’s Katrina story unfold.
Quotes from “MDOT Remembers Hurricane Katrina: 20 Years Later:”
“Katrina was one of those storms that reset the watch for everyone. Reset the calendar, became one of those events that you referred back to over time as ‘before Katrina’ or ‘after Katrina.’” – Commissioner Charles Busby, Southern Transportation District
“You know, after Camille, we didn’t do so well, but after Katrina, because a lot of people helped us, we actually did come back better than ever.” – Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour
“I’m from the Gulf Coast, but when we got down here to look at the damage, we were going down Highway 90 trying to find our way through. There were no street signs. There were no landmarks. There was nothing. So even though I grew up here, I was lost.” – Steve Twedt, P.E., Former MDOT Engineer
“We were literally designing temporary crossovers on I-10 at 2 o’clock in the morning.” – Gabe Faggard, P.E., Former MDOT Engineer
“All the traffic signals were down, all the controllers, they were gone. And it wasn’t just the coast. I mean, it was like six counties deep. You know, we lost everything.” – Melinda McGrath, P.E., Former MDOT Executive Director
“When weather is at its worst, MDOT is at its best. I have a lot of confidence that our maintenance forces and our folks are ready for any type of natural disaster that comes our way, whether it be on the coast or anywhere else in Mississippi, for that matter.” – Brad White, MDOT Executive Director
