▁four - lane ▁divided ▁highway ▁running ▁through ▁developed ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁The ▁total ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁six ▁sections ▁of ▁MS ▁ 1 9 8 ▁is ▁. ▁ ▁What ▁is ▁now ▁MS ▁ 1 9 8 ▁originally ▁existed ▁as ▁gra vel ▁and ▁earth ▁roads ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s . ▁The ▁port ions ▁of ▁the ▁current ▁road ▁became ▁parts ▁of ▁MS ▁ 2 4 ▁and ▁MS ▁ 1 5 ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁and ▁were ▁all ▁p aved ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s . ▁US ▁ 9 8 ▁was ▁designated ▁on ▁these ▁segments ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 . ▁Between ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁US ▁ 9 8 ▁was ▁r er out ed ▁to ▁by pass ▁T yl ert own , ▁Columbia , ▁H att ies burg , ▁Be aum ont , ▁Mc L ain , ▁and ▁Lu ced ale . ▁By ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁MS ▁ 1 9 8 ▁was ▁designated ▁onto ▁the ▁former ▁alignment ▁of ▁US ▁ 9 8 ▁through ▁these ▁communities . ▁The ▁Mc L ain ▁section ▁was ▁trunc ated ▁from ▁US ▁ 9 8 ▁east ▁of ▁town ▁to ▁MS ▁ 5 7 ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁Route ▁description ▁MS   1 9 8 ▁is ▁leg ally ▁defined ▁in ▁Mississippi ▁Code ▁§ ▁ 6 5 - 3 - 3 ▁as ▁the ▁design ation ▁for ▁former ▁sections ▁of ▁US ▁ 9