Faced with forcing motorists to continue a lengthy detour for several years, Marion County officials have built a temporary crossing on Williamsburg Road.
The south bridge was likely the heaviest used in the county to be closed by inspectors checking wood-piling structures earlier this year. Last week, crews completed a temporary crossing for the creek that it spans, according to District 2 Supervisor Terry Broome.
“We re-channeled the creek a little bit and put two 10-foot pipes in it across the road and built up the road,” he said. “We used a tremendous amount of dirt, about 6,000 yards, and built it up over it. We then put rip-rap over it. Hopefully, it will hold water up to a pretty good rise in the creek without giving us any problems.”
Broome said the detour cost his district about $60,000, which he described as “well worth it for our constituents.” It officially opened Monday.
The gravel-covered road has plenty of room for two people to pass, Broome said.
“It’s not a permanent solution, but it’s the best one we’ve got until we get some federal funding,” he said. “People can cross, and it is capable of holding a pretty good load on it. School buses and fire trucks will be able to cross it. They previously had to take about an 11-mile trip to go around it. It was about a 20-minute detour for any emergency vehicles and school buses; those were our main concerns. Of course, our constituents that have been affected by it – in the neighborhood of 300 people – can now cross.”
The bridge has been approved for federal funding for replacement, but funding has not been made available. Changes in inspection rules late last year forced the county to close the bridge earlier this year or jeopardize federal and state funding for any bridge and road projects.
“It’s the second one on the list in the state of Mississippi,” Broome said. “It’s been approved for 2 ½ years now. It looks like it will be another two years before there is any federal funding for it or the north bridge on Williamsburg Road. It’s up at the Jefferson Davis County line and does not affect as many motorists. It hasn’t given us as much concern.”
The old bridge no longer has roadway leading up to it, and Broome said there is no threat of anyone crossing the closed span.
“We went ahead and dug it out on each end,” he said. “We were able to use that dirt here, which saved us a little bit on the cost of it. We didn’t have an alternative, and we couldn’t wait two years, more like three years, for a replacement.”
Pictured Above: Residents, school buses and first responders now have a way to bypass the condemned south bridge on Williamsburg Road. District 2 Supervisor Terry Broome said the county spent about $60,000 to ensure passage while awaiting federal funds for a permanent replacement. | Photo by Mark Rogers
