Newton County motorists may see constructions signs popping up as county crews work to repair worn and damaged bridges. On Tuesday, the Mississippi Transportation Commission met to distribute a $250 million bond package, the Emergency Road and Bridge Repair Act, which was passed by the Legislature during a special session in August.
On the list of awarded funds, Newton County will receive $431,000 to repair bridge No. 7 on Newton-Calhoun Road. While the Board of Supervisors had applied for 14 bridges, they said at the time of applying it was unlikely to receive funds.
“$250 million won’t go very far,” Supervisor Joe Alexander said in November.
In total, 200 bridges will be repaired or replaced with the funds, which is about 20 percent of the estimated 1,000 bridges needing attention throughout the state and about a third of the 690 project applications submitted for consideration.
Dick Hall, chairman of the MTC, said the Emergency Road and Bridge Act was not intended to be a final solution, but it was a good start to tackling the state’s aged infrastructure.
“While we were not able to fully fund the $1 billion in requested applications, it is a start to addressing the state’s critical infrastructure needs,” he said in a press release announcing the awards. “We want to thank Gov. Bryant and the Legislature, for this is a step in the right direction. However, we need sustained funding to address all deteriorating bridges and crumbling roadways.”
For a full list of project awards, visit mdot.ms.gov/portal/erbrf/index.html
Also, on Tuesday, Newton County Beat 4 Supervisor Charles Godwin announced another bridge would be undergoing repairs soon. In a written announcement, Godwin said a bridge on Lawrence-Hazel Road, just east of Highway 80, would be closed beginning at noon.
Godwin had previously discussed the bridge in meetings of the Board of Supervisors, stating the headwalls of the bridge were pulling away from the banks of the creek. Without secure headwalls, which anchor the bridge to the land, he said the bridge would need to be closed.
However, headwall repairs are not complicated and can easily be done in house, Godwin said previously. With the announcement of the closure, he said construction to repair the bridge should begin shortly.
“We apologize for the inconvenience this will cause,” he said. “However, this closure is necessary for public safety. Construction is to begin shortly to replace the damaged bridge.”
