Workers making repairs to the fender system at the Popp’s Ferry bridge accomplished their night’s work ahead of schedule Monday night, and were actually able to re-open the bridge at 3 this morning, a couple hours ahead of schedule.
This evening, the bridge will close again from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. to allow the 10-man construction team to install horizontal timbers that connect the 10 to 12 poles that were driven Monday night. A bridge closure is expected Wednesday evening as well.
“The best way to describe the fender system,” says City Engineer Damon Torricelli, “is to compare it to the steel guard rails that you see on side of the road. In the same way that the guard rails keep you on the road, this wooden fender system keeps marine vessels from striking the concrete pilings that hold up the bridge. The fender system is our first line of defense. It did what it was supposed to do when it was struck by a barge back in May, but it was heavily damaged in the process.”
Torricelli said the pilings that were replaced Monday night were directly under the span, and the span needed to be raised for several hours to provide huge cranes room to work.
“It’s the same with the horizontal timbers they’ll be installing this evening,” he said. “They’re directly under the span of the bridge, so the draw will have to raised for several hours again this evening.”
News and notes
Like Biloxi: Have you connected to the city’s new Facebook presence? Bmail and other news will now also be passed along through the city’s Facebook page. To Like the city’s Facebook page, click here.
Ward 3 meeting: City Councilmember Dixie Newman of Ward 3 will stage her first ward meeting this evening at 6 at the West Biloxi Library, on Pass Road.
Social-service funding: Social service agencies must complete two forms — an application and a spreadsheet — to apply for city funding. Completed forms must be turned into the council or mayor’s office by noon, Sept. 3. For the first form, an application, click here. For the second form, a spreadsheet (legal-size paper), click here.
