Infrastructure work returning to Howard Avenue

Business owners, residents and those who travel Howard Avenue between Porter Avenue and Hopkins Boulevard can see the telltale signs of road work coming up.

City infrastructure contractors last week cut into the asphalt in preparation for the installation of a major sewer line under a 1,500-foot section of the southernmost lane of Howard, in the five blocks between Benachi and Hopkins.

That work, however, won’t begin until Jan. 2, but the area from Benachi Avenue and Porter Avenue will see work beginning next week.

Hemphill Construction will begin installing drainage lines and sidewalks before laying limestone and repaving the section of Howard Avenue between Benachi and Porter. Contractors have promised to try to maintain an open lane of traffic for businesses. The work between Benachi and Porter is expected to be completed by Jan. 1.

Then, on Jan. 2, contractors will close the eastbound lane of Howard Avenue between Benachi and Hopkins Boulevard to install a 15-inch sewer line 12 feet below the roadway between Benachi and Hopkins Boulevard. Contractors, in an effort to reduce disruption, plan to complete the Benachi-to-Hopkins work in sections, about 80 feet at a time.

The work is expected to be completed before the Feb. 25 Gulf Coast Carnival Association Mardi Gras parade. It had originally been scheduled to begin next week. In fact, the city’s monthly newsletter, which is being delivered across the city this week, includes that original schedule.
See the latest infrastructure video, published today
See the detailed maps of progress, published today

Lane joins the infrastructure mix

Steven Dunlap, who like company owner Jimmy Lane regularly wears a white cowboy hat, makes his debut this month in the city’s monthly infrastructure video.

Each month, dating back to June 2016, the city has published an infrastructure video, where contractors from Oscar Renda and Hemphill have provided a three- to five-minute update on work. Lane, which was awarded a 550-day contract in October, makes it first appearance in the latest video, the city’s 43rd.

Dunlap is overseeing the Lane Construction portion of the infrastructure work, referred to as Sixth Street South. Lane will be installing new water, sewer and drainage lines in the area south of the CSX railway at the tip of the Biloxi peninsula, involving three miles of roads from the tip of the peninsula at Michael Boulevard, south to Third Street and west to Hoxie.

Says Dunlap of the work, which is scheduled to be complete April 2021: “We would like citizens to be aware that this will be a very complex project with many unknowns as we start to dig.”
See Dunlap’s part of the infrastructure video
See an overview of the Lane work

News and notes: Gold Star video and photos, traffic

Gold Star video, photos: Dozens turned out Saturday to see the unveiling of the newest memorial in Guice Park, the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument. To see photos from the event, click here. To see a video replay of the ceremony, click here.

Traffic: See the latest on road work and traffic throughout the city in Traffic Update, published online each day by the city’s Engineering Department. To see the update, along with links to MDOT traffic cameras and Gulf Regional Planning Commission traffic counts, click here.