Work on St. Francis bridge progressing

The St. Francis Drive bridge project is moving along and city officials are expecting it will be completed later this month.

The pylons and the pre-cast bridge installation work is complete. Workers are expected to start building the approach ramps on each side this week.

“They will go out about 15 to 20 feet and dig down about three or four feet,” Mayor James Young said. “Then they will build the foundation and build the road up. Then they will pave it.

“After that, they will begin to do the cleanup work. They will install the rails and concrete barriers.”

Work started in March. Joe Magee Construction of Lake got the job with a bid price of $356,331. Young said there were expected additional expenses such as the cost for moving utility lines while the project was being done.

This is a time-sensitive project, Young said. The state is planning to start work to replace the bridge on Holland Avenue (near Bumpers) starting by the end of May. The St. Francis bridge project needs to be completed by then.

The bridge had been declared unsafe after an inspection found the rotten pilings. The weight limit on the bridge was lowered and only passenger cars have been able to use it.

The Mississippi Legislature appropriated $500,000 for the project.

“We would never have been able to have gotten this project done as quickly without the help of our local legislators,” Young said. “We didn’t have the money in our budget for a project like this. This project took everyone working together to get it done.”