Hattiesburg, Mississippi – Based on the recommendation from a third-party structural engineer and bridge inspection team, the City will close the bridge located on North 28th Avenue due to unsafe structural conditions – on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The bridge is located just south of Foxfire Drive.

The bridge’s unsafe travel conditions were revealed while reviewing drainage conditions in the area. It was determined that a structural engineer with devices that could measure wood rot and degradation was needed. On Thursday, October 21, a third-party bridge inspection team determined that the bridge would need to be closed immediately for travel with a recommendation for reconstruction.

Our crews will close the bridge to all traffic as well as subsequent stretches of North 28th Avenue to thru traffic.

To mitigate the direct impact on residents in this area, detour signs will be posted to present the best routes possible while avoiding this area. These routes include:

• If residents live north of the bridge, they will be rerouted to Sims Road and you can access West 7th Street by way of North 31st Avenue.
• If residents live south of the bridge, they will have clear access to West 7th Street. North 31st Avenue can be taken from West 7th Street if there is a need to travel north.
• If residents live on Hillside Drive, they will be able to turn north on North 28th Avenue, but not south.

North 28th Avenue will be closed during this time to thru traffic, and signage indicating such will be posted at the intersection of Sims Road and North 28th Avenue, detouring to North 31st Avenue and at the intersection of West 7th Street and North 28th Avenue, detouring to North 31st Avenue.

The replacement of the bridge is estimated to cost $500,000 and construction will take up to nine months, dependent on weather.

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