Bank of Holly Springs

Bridge project starting soon

Replacement of the old Salem Avenue bridge in Holly Springs could begin this week.

Joshua Johnson, an engineer with the Mississippi Department of Transportation, said the scheduled start date is Monday, Aug. 9, but workers may be on site this Thursday or Friday.

“The first day we will be putting signs up, and we will be shutting it down and rerouting traffic pretty quickly,” he said.

The initial step will be taking out the old bridge, which was built in 1950.

“The contractor is going to want to remove the old bridge as soon as possible,” Johnson said.

Salem Avenue (Highway 4 East) will be closed to through traffic. It will be open for local traffic only — those living and working in the nearby area. East and west through traffic along that portion of Salem (Highway 4) will be rerouted using Highway 7 and the Holly Springs bypass, which reconnects with Highway 4 near Alliance Hospital, Johnson said.

The $5.2 million contract to replace the old bridge was awarded in May to Talbot Brothers Construction Company Inc. and Talbot Brothers Grading Company Inc. of Nesbit. The bridge runs over the BNSF Railway and MS Central Railroad.

Johnson said he anticipates minimal interruption as far as railway traffic is concerned.

The grade of the new bridge, which will meet contemporary MDOT and U.S. Department of Transportation standards, will be elevated an additional 6 or 7 feet above the railroad, according to Johnson.

There will also be a sidewalk across the new bridge.

Compress Street will be extended to tie in between Bethlehem Street and North Chesterman Street, he said.

Survey work on the project began 10 years ago. That was followed by other steps in the long process — like environmental study, determining right-of-way, design work, utility relocation and more. The 10 years before start-up is not unusual due to the magnitude of the project.

The construction contract calls for 204 working days, which means a completion date around Labor Day 2022, Johnson said.

Holly Springs South Reporter

P.O. Box 278
Holly Springs, MS 38635
PH: (662) 252-4261
FAX: (662) 252-3388
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