Significant progress is being made on the $52.5 million project to replace four bridges in Tate County on Interstate 55 at Hickahala Creek.
But Northern District Transportation Commissioner John Caldwell is urging motorists to slow down and be aware of crews in the area as they make advancements toward completion of the project this fall.
“I’ve been watching the contractor diligently working to stay ahead of schedule and keep traffic flowing,” Caldwell said. “I’ve also seen too many vehicles speeding through as if it was not an active construction zone.”
The project includes construction of new northbound and southbound bridges over Hickahala Creek and the Hickahala relief area. The northbound bridges are being built on a new alignment.
Crews have completed construction of two bridges in the northbound lanes of I-55 and traffic has been transferred into those lanes. Northbound traffic is set in the new alignment.
Southbound traffic has been transferred onto the old northbound lanes of I-55 as foundation and substructure work on the bridge over Hickahala Creek continues. Placement of steel beams on the bridge will start within the next 30 days.
W.G. Yates & Son Construction Company of Jackson, contractor for the project, has finished pouring the concrete deck of the bridge over Hickahala relief. They are now doing earthwork and grading to bring the roadway up to the elevation of the new bridge.
