Mississippi County to replace bridge

While the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway Center Crevasse was restored to full operational status on Jan. 4, construction at the lower Crevasse near New Madrid is scheduled to be completed later this year. The Corps of Engineers is restoring the front line levee to provide a level of protection equivalent to 62.5-feet on the Cairo, Ill., gauge. On Thursday, the Mississippi County Commission announced plans to replace a bridge near Highway 102 which was destroyed when the Corps' activation of the Birds Point-New Madrid floodway in May 2011.
(Photo by Jill Bock, Staff)

CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County has the green light to replace a bridge.

Carlin Bennett, the county's presiding county commissioner, said during the regular County Commission meeting Thursday that he received notification from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that the requirement for the environmental impact statement on the county's latest bridge project was satisfied.

"We've got permission to go ahead and move forward with the replacement of the bridge on (County Road) 521," Bennett said.

The new bridge will replace the one at Wilkerson Ditch near Highway 102 at Windyville closed by the Missouri Department of Transportation inspectors after it was damaged by floodwaters during the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's activation of the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway in May 2011.

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