Overview

• The latest incident near I-20 at State Street/South Gallatin Street removed about 20 feet of conductor and damaged roughly 398 feet, a loss valued around $2,100.
• MDOT reported the theft to Capitol Police, marking at least the fifth copper hit on major interstate project sites this year.
• Outages from the thefts have left stretches of I-20 dark, with drivers reporting safety concerns in the affected areas.
• The upgrade installs LED lights and in‑pole trigger security from the stack to Highway 18 and parts of I-55, but final activation awaits full installation.
• MDOT expects completion in roughly one to two months once components are in place, is commissioning an anti‑theft study by Garver Engineering, and urges the public to report suspicious activity.