See report, photos of closed MS Coast bridge that state says is in danger of collapse
Political leaders in Ocean Springs and Jackson County knew a busy bridge on Hanshaw Road, routinely crossed by school buses, had to be replaced but said they were unaware it was in danger of collapse.
The city of Ocean Springs closed the bridge March 5, after receiving a letter from the Office of State Aid Road Construction saying the bridge would need to be closed within 24 hours under a “Critical Findings Procedure.” State Aid Engineer Harry Lee James told the Sun Herald on Tuesday that water termites, or marine borers, were eating away at the wooden bridge pilings.
A “critical deficiency” is one discovered during a safety inspection that “threatens public safety and, if not promptly corrected, could result in collapse or partial collapse of a bridge,” a Mississippi Department of Transportation manual on bridges says.
The report was accompanied by photos that show the pilings’ deterioration.
Mayor Kenny Holloway said he plans to talk to Jackson County about funding replacement of the bridge. The cost, he said, is estimated at $2-$3 million. Although the bridge is in the city limits, Jackson County Supervisor Randy Bosarge said the county generally is willing to help its cities with bridge replacement.
Bridge replacement anticipated
“We knew eventually it was going to have to be replaced, but we didn’t know it was this bad,” said Bosarge, who represents District 5, where the bridge is located. “This surprise inspection has caught everybody off guard.” Bosarge said he is willing to ask his fellow supervisors to help with funding.
Although the state wanted the bridge closed within 24 hours, Holloway said the agency sent the letter, dated Feb. 27, by snail mail. The letter was on his desk Monday morning, March 3, the mayor said. The city didn’t even have the material to barricade the bridge, he said, but located concrete barriers, notified the appropriate authorities, including the school system, and closed the bridge March 5.
“I didn’t know what was wrong with it,” Holloway said. “I had to go look at it.” Bosarge said annual bridge inspection reports generally go to the county and the city, but Holloway doesn’t recall seeing one.
Holloway said the bridge is on a replacement list. The state letter, he said, was his first indication it was in “critical” condition. At low tide, Holloway said, city officials could see that the pilings on the bridge have eroded. He said the bridge was built in 1991. It spans Davis Bayou between U.S. 90 and Old Spanish Trail.
The county has helped the city with engineering and rights of way acquisitions to replace the bridge, Bosarge said, as more residential development was planned for the area. The county’s road manager told Bosarge that the weight limit on the bridge was lowered some years back, but he didn’t remember when.
This story was originally published March 12, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
