Part of I-110 bridge will be closed through Cruisin’ The Coast. When will repairs begin?

Repair work on soundbound lanes of I-110 will likely not begin until late October at the earliest, MDOT Public Information Officer Anna Ehrgott said Wednesday.

A formal bridge inspection took place on Friday, Sept. 22 following the Sept. 19 fire that damaged the bridge, MDOT said.

A report from the formal inspection determined that the damage to the bridge columns and bridge deck is extensive and that in the interest of public safety, a portion of southbound lanes of the bridge should remain closed until repairs are completed.

A three-step process has to be completed before crews can start repairs on the bridge. First, MDOT is expecting to receive repair recommendations from an engineering firm by the end of the week.

Next, the firm will then create plans for the recommended repairs in a process that is estimated to take 10 work days.

Then, MDOT will select a contractor to perform the repairs in a process, which typically takes about seven work days.

Once the contractor has been selected and received approval from Mississippi Transportation Commission, the contractor can begin the repairs.

MDOT does not currently know how long the repairs will take.

The I-110 bridge has been closed since Sept. 19 after a fire occurred in a tractor trailer underneath the bridge, causing damage.

MDOT District Construction Engineer Scott White told WXXV that it’s believed a trailer containing traffic control equipment belonging to the city of Biloxi’s was set on fire, causing the damage. The Biloxi Fire Department is investigating.

As Cruisin’ the Coast, a major traffic event, approaches next week, Ehrgott stresses that drivers should be “patient.”

About 51,000 vehicles travel the I-110 corridor daily, according to MDOT.