Old Panola Road, originally scheduled to be closed for more than three months beginning July 16, was still open Thursday afternoon and road improvements have yet to begin.

Engineer Stephen Gray told the Panola County Board of Supervisors the high-traffic road would be closed for about 100 days, starting the middle of July, from Curtis Rd. to Viney Creek Rd., about a mile.

The State Aid road project has a construction limit of 100 days before the contractor would be penalized for delays. Although no road work has been started, heavy machinery was moved to the area this week, and signs announcing the impending road closure are posted.

Just one residence is affected by the closure, but many people who live north of the Tallahatchie River, especially those with homes west of Hwy. 51, will find their commute a little longer once the improvements are started.

Those residents are expected to use Hwy. 51 from Batesville to Ballentine or Barnacre Rds. to reach the north and western parts of the county.