/ Bridges / Mississippi Opens New Coldwater River Bridge to Replace One Closed by 2016 Flood

Mississippi Opens New Coldwater River Bridge to Replace One Closed by 2016 Flood

Parul Dubey on March 6, 2018 - in Bridges, Transportation

The Mississippi Department of Transportation has opened a new highway bridge over the Coldwater River in Tate County after a nearly two-year closure of the previous flood-damaged structure.

“We are pleased to announce the completion of the project reconnecting Tate and DeSoto counties, and the rest of the region, on [US] Highway 51,” said Mike Tagert, northern district transportation commissioner. “About 3,200 motorists used the bridge each day before it was damaged by flooding in 2016. Residents, businesses and industries will once again be able to easily access their communities using Highway 51.”

The department said crews recently put the last asphalt on the $22.7 million project, installed rumble strips were installed and applied lane striping.

The state DOT in March 2016 closed the original bridge that was built in 1935 after flooding damaged its structural supports.

It noted that “the new 2,000-foot span is 900 feet longer and four feet taller to provide more resiliency to high-water events,” and has wider travel lanes as well.

“Thank you to the public for your patience while we built a bigger and stronger bridge,” Tagert said. “We appreciate the MDOT employees who worked on this project for their diligence and for being good stewards of taxpayer dollars to keep this project on budget despite the many challenges.”

Photo / Mississippi DOT

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