Money could be pulled from new Popp's Ferry Bridge, Gulfport connector
A new Popp's Ferry Bridge in Biloxi and the Canal Road connector in Gulfport are among a dozen road and bridge projects in South Mississippi that could lose their remaining funding under a program announced Tuesday by the Federal Highway Administration.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said the federal government wants to "repurpose" about $2 billion in unused earmarked funds across the country and direct the money to new infrastructure projects. Each projects on the list is more than 10 years old or has less than 10 percent of its money spent.
More than 65 projects are eyed in Mississippi and, under the plan, the state Department of Transportation would determine where the money would be better spent -- within 50 miles of the original project.
The federal government may want to redirect the money, but the state and local governments are actively working on some of these projects.
The Jackson County supervisors are moving ahead with plans to build a connector road between Mississippi 609 and Sangani Boulevard in D'Iberville. In January, Gov. Phil Bryant pledged $10.2 million of BP money toward the project. The Highway Administration says $286,000 is available to be redirected to another project.
Also on the list is money for a new Popp's Ferry Bridge in Biloxi. Just over $1 million in funding remains of the original $4 million allocation, and the estimated cost of building the bridge is more than $75 million.
The drawbridge, which often malfunctions, is used by 20,000 vehicles a day and Mayor Andrew "FoFo" Gilich said in his inaugural address last year, "We have to replace the Popp's Ferry Bridge. This will be a costly, time-consuming project. We must find a way to make it happen."
Nearly $6 million, or 11 percent of the allocation, remains in federal funding to build a connector between U.S. 90 and Interstate 10 in Biloxi. The city hasn't been able to reach an agreement on the route that connector road should take, but plans continue on extending U.S. 90 to Popp's Ferry Road, which would provide a connection from the beach to the interstate.
The Highway Administration said $497,000 was earmarked but not allocated for a Ship Island Terminal in Gulfport and $243,000 was allocated for a Port Bienville Intermodal Connector in Hancock County but none of it was ever spent on the project.
States have until the end of the federal fiscal year Sept. 30 to decide whether to redirect the money.
This story was originally published March 8, 2016 at 7:42 PM with the headline "Money could be pulled from new Popp's Ferry Bridge, Gulfport connector ."