The walking path on the Biloxi Bay Bridge will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day for a week beginning Wednesday so city contractors can pressure wash its entire stretch.
The walkway, which is 12 feet wide and 1.8 miles long from end to end, will be open before and after the work each day, and it will be open without interruption each Saturday and Sunday.
The city, using a $20,000 Tidelands grant from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, is overseeing the work, which will be done by Coast Pro Wash Corp.
It’s the first time the popular walkway has been pressure washed since the six-lane, 95-feet high Biloxi Bay Bridge was dedicated on Nov. 1, 2007 with a day of bands and parades and capped with an evening of fireworks.
“For safety reasons and liability, the entire walkway must be closed during the cleaning times each day,” said City Engineer Christy LeBatard. “We apologize for the inconvenience, but this also will help us get the work done quickly and safely.”
See a slideshow from bridge dedication in 2007
Expect high tides, rain from Michael
The forecasters remain steadfast: Hurricane Michael is expected to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday, but there’s also a warning for those in Biloxi and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast: You could see a storm surge of 1 to 3 feet and rainfall of 1 to 2 inches.
Those with vessels in Biloxi’s public harbors and marinas should check the vessel’s mooring lines and plan for the expected conditions.
The update from 10 a.m.: A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson counties. The storm is about 560 miles southeast of New Orleans LA or about 550 miles south-southeast of Biloxi. It has winds of 90 mph and it is moving at 12 mph. Forecasters say Biloxi and the surrounding area could see wind gusts that could exceed tropical storm force.
A northward to north-northwestward motion at a slightly faster forward speed is expected through tonight, followed by a northeastward motion on Wednesday and Thursday. On the forecast track, the center of Michael will move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico today and tonight. The center of the storm is expected to move inland over the Florida Panhandle or Florida Big Bend area on Wednesday, and then move northeastward across the southeastern United States Wednesday night and Thursday.
See the conditions and advisories for Biloxi
See the latest on Hurricane Michael
