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An article titled, “Building a 21st Century Transportation System for the Gulf Coast,” said:
MDOT has at least two very large projects actively proposed for construction or reconstruction that do not fit well in the community visions that came about at the Renewal Forum.
This bridge (Biloxi Bay Bridge) is proposed to replace the four-lane bridge the travel surface of which was destroyed by Katrina. The cross section of the proposed bridge is up to 120 feet wide; actually wide enough for at least eight lanes of traffic…
A four-lane bridge makes sense and would save a lot of taxpayer money (64 feet wide as opposed to 120 feet). In the alternative, a six-lane bridge that is truly a six-lane bridge (about 88 feet wide) would also save a significant sum. Furthermore, a six-lane bridge connecting with four-lane streets does not make sense…
MDOT has decided to move forward with its original plan due to potential funding constraints from the Federal Highway Administration. (MDOT was apparently pushing Ocean Springs and others to quickly approve the six-lane proposal, because MDOT said that otherwise Federal funding would be lost. This is an apparent untrue statement).
The primary final MDOT complaint was that any change would delay reopening traffic flows across the Bay.
Subsequent to the charrette, it was determined that at least one contractor who proposes to build the new bridge will be doing so in reliance on the abutments that remain where Katrina lifted the concrete deck panels from them in the bay.
Learning this, the charrette team members proposed that the abutments be used to reopen an automobile-only bridge that could remain as a two-lane auto plus pedestrian plus bicycle plus transit bridge. This rebuilt two-lane bridge would be combined with a four-lane bridge on the CSX (railroad) alignment.
This “four-plus two” concept would have reopened traffic across the Bay much sooner than any other plan…Re-opening the smaller bridge soon would also have taken a little pressure off MDOT and allow it time to negotiate the CSX alignment.
The other MDOT proposed project that the SUMMARY REPORT referred to that did not fit well in the community visions that came about at the Renewal Forum is the Gulfport Canal Road Connector, which has been previously discussed. 21 |
