Timeline announced for Pinehaven bridge replacement

By Randy Bell

Motorists who use the northern portion of Pinehaven Drive regularly might want to circle Monday, April 21, on their calendars.  That’s when a contractor plans to close Pinehaven between Williamson Road and Kickapoo Road to begin the job of replacing the bridge over Bogue Chitto Creek.  It’s expected to be a lengthy project forcing drivers to take a lengthy detour.

“The road will remain closed through the life of the project, or approximately twelve months,” says Consulting City Engineer Bill Owen.

In January, the Board of Aldermen awarded a $3,927,362 contract to Joe McGee Construction Company of Lake to remove the old bridge and build the new one – which will be taller and wider.  The extra height is needed to give floodwaters more room to pass underneath.  Despite the added width, it will still be only a two-lane bridge.  The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) awarded the City more than $5 million to replace the bridge, the money coming from the Emergency Road and Bridge Fund.  

Almost two years ago, the old bridge underwent repairs to its rotten timber support piles to keep it open.  And, while that project bought the City some extra time to work on its plan to replace the bridge, heavy vehicles were prohibited from using the old bridge, with a three-ton weight limit posted.  Last year, because of safety concerns, the Clinton Public School District began rerouting its buses to avoid the bridge.

The possibility of constructing an adjacent temporary bridge on Pinehaven was discussed, but was dismissed because of the added cost and potential environmental impacts.

When the replacement work begins, detours will be posted, with traffic diverted around the construction zone using Williamson, Clinton-Tinnin and Kickapoo roads.  Some southbound motorists headed toward Clinton may choose to take Highway 49 to Cynthia Road to access the city.