The East Biloxi infrastructure work — the arduous process of replacing, restoring, relocating and repaving about 60 miles of city streets — continues its grueling pace.
Oscar Renda Contracting, the firm responsible for about 55 miles of work north of the CSX railway, has asphalt going down on two dozen streets, while also continuing to install the final sewer and drainage lines on Forrest Avenue north and south on Division, where construction of the new Keesler main entrance continues.
Drivers south of the CSX railway are seeing the pace of paving quickening on some of the eight miles of work in the Hemphill Construction area, which runs from downtown Biloxi to Seashore Methodist. Paving is in the works for Benachi Avenue and Azalea Drive.
From Jennifer Matranga, project manager, Oscar Renda Contracting:
Main Street and Walker drainage structures work continues. We have finished up the drainage pipe on Elder between Caillavet and Reynoir. We have began installing storm drainage and structures on Elder at Reynoir Street moving east towards Main Street.
We continue moving west with prepping the streets and installing the final course of asphalt. We have installed the base course of asphalt on Esters from Lee Street to Main Street, and the final course of asphalt on Esters from Holley to Lee, Keller, Austin, Suarez, and Bowen Street North of Bayview.
By the end of this month, we will place base course of asphalt on the last part of Esters Boulevard from Main Street to Lameuse, on Croesus from Bradford to Elder, on Fayard from Elk to Strawberry, and on Anglada from Percy to Elder, and on Strawberry. We will also be placing surface course of asphalt on Dacey, Rosado, Midway, Keller from Esters to Division, Old Bayview at the harbor, Lee Street north of Suarez, Lee Street North of Bayview, Crescent, Hill, Dr. Gilbert Mason, Heidenheim, Hope, and Splendor streets.
We have completed the sewer on Forrest south of Division, and continue to install sewer on Forrest north of Division.
We are finishing the storm drainage on Forrest south of Division within the next week and continue working on the drainage structures.
We have completed the installation of road base and curbing on Croesus and will place the base course of asphalt there next week.
We are completing the sidewalks and driveways on Bohn Street and will move to Croesus once that is complete.
From Jack Gratwick, assistant project manager, Hemphill Construction Co.
Progress south of the railway is picking up pace as we move into the summer months. We have six crews and multiple subcontractors working hard every day to complete the task at hand.
We have completed the utility installation on Benachi Avenue and Azalea Drive, and we hope to pave those streets within the next month.
We are currently working on Irish Hill Drive, but hope to have work complete in time for the next round of paving, as well.
We also have crews installing the utilities on Father Ryan Avenue, St. Francis Street, Brister Place, and Morrison Avenue. We remind everyone to please respect our traffic control signs, and keep our employees safety in mind while driving near construction zones.
