The Popp’s Ferry secret weapon; other bridge news

Mayor A.J. Holloway revealed this morning that he and Transportation Commissioner Wayne Brown had a secret weapon that helped contractor Joe McGee re-open the Popp’s Ferry bridge Saturday morning.

“We didn’t really say anything about it,” Holloway said, “but Mr. McGee’s daughter is scheduled to have a baby on Monday, and we knew that Grandpa was going to want to be there for that.”

McGee headed a team of about 40 construction workers on the bridge Friday night. “It’s fourth down and one with about a minute to go in the game,” he told the mayor’s office early in the evening.

Barricades were removed from the bridge at 7:30 this morning.

“We can’t say enough about the work that MDOT and Joe McGee and his workers did,” Holloway said. “There were a number of ways to get this job done, but from the first time I spoke with MDOT that morning of the accident, I was confident that we could get this done and that this was the way to go.”

Now, Holloway said, he wishes the best for Grandpa McGee.

Said the mayor: “Joe delivered for the people of Biloxi, and now I’m hoping that he has a great delivery of his own on Monday.”

Other bridge news and notes

Limited marine traffic: The Popp’s Ferry bridge will open to marine traffic on a limited basis until the bridge is regularly staffed by bridgetenders. Vessels that require the bridge’s span to open in order to pass may do so only at 2, 6 and 10 a.m., and 2, 6 and 10 p.m.

It ain’t over: Biloxi Public Works and Police remind residents that the bridge remains closed to pedestrians. Handrails for the pedestrian walkway are scheduled to be installed in early June.