Biloxi rejects a new $150 million Popp’s Ferry toll bridge. Here’s what happens next.
Biloxi no longer is considering a Popp’s Ferry toll bridge.
The city announced Friday that Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich notified United Bridge Partners that there is “inadequate support” in Biloxi for a new Popp’s Ferry bridge finance by a toll.
Instead, the city will will focus on other ways to replace or repair the 40-year-old span, the announcement said.
This comes after dueling guest editorials in the Sun Herald over the last two weeks by bank president Chevis Swetman, who favored the toll bridge, and Barq’s Root Beer descendant Robert Barq, who opposed the toll.
A social media storm followed the announcement to consider the toll, pitting those who said a toll is a good idea to replace the antiquated bridge against those who said they would detour to another bridge than pay a toll.
The toll also polarized Sun Herald readers, who overwhelmingly said they did not want to pay to cross the bridge.
United Bridge Partners in Denver proposed building and maintaining a $150 million bridge and charging a toll of $1 to $1.25 per vehicle to cross.
“As matters currently stand, the city does not feel there is adequate support for a tolling solution,” Gilich said.
The city also will seek funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, as well as “explore other options that may be available, such as repair and remediation of the existing Popp’s Ferry draw span,” the mayor said.
It would cost about $15 million to repair the bridge.
“In the last few weeks, additional funds have become available for repair and remediation, and the city believes time is of the essence for that alternative,” Gilich said.
This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 4:50 PM.
