While homeowners await insurance settlements and building permits before they can start their reconstruction, the largest construction project in Bay St. Louis is moving ahead at full steam. The CSX railroad bridge that spans the Bay of St. Louis from here to Pass Christian is well ahead of schedule.
When MSNBC first visited the project in October, project manager Billy Baughman and his crew were laying 60-foot-long concrete beams across the piers Katrina left sticking out of the water.
"We just laid the last beam on Monday," Baughman said. "Now the center of activity is on the swing span."
The swing span is a section of bridge that literally swings open to allow boat traffic through; it needs to be repaired and completely rewired.
The original schedule was to get the first train across the bridge by Feb. 28, but Baughman estimates they're about three weeks ahead of that.
Neither rain, nor sleet, nor hurricanes
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Frank,
Actually, the piers the bridge stood on were in good shape and withstood Katrina. Why not leave a foundation that has proven to be so solid. Not saying that the bridge could never be brought down but nature can throw anything she wants at us and we'll always be at her mercy. I'm a carpenter on that bridge and agree with Charlie, it took alot of hard working and skilled craftsmen to accomplish this task ahead of schedule and it's built solid . We're all proud of our jobs and the great work others in the area are doing.
Bobby Gilbert, Hot Springs, AR. (Sent Jan 13, 2006 9:16:50 PM)
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