Lake Harbour Drive is undergoing two projects, and both are making progress. In a recent board meeting, the Ridgeland Board of Aldermen voted to advertise for bids for the Lake Harbour overlay project as well as the new box culvert for the road’s extension.
The rehab project for Lake Harbour will stretch from Northpark Drive to Breakers Lane.
“It’s a mill, overlay, restripe and upgrade of signals,” Mike McCollum, Ridgeland public works director, said. “The project’s final plan specification and estimates package was sent to the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT).”
Once MDOT approves the file, the city can advertise for bids, which should occur within the next few weeks.
The scope of the project is a little more than a mile.
The box culvert is phase A of the Lake Harbour Drive extension project. Although the extension won’t be complete for another two years, the culvert was an important part of the endeavor.
“We’re separating the box culvert,” said Mayor Gene McGee. “It’s more efficient and cost-effective to separate it as its own phase because of the type of work.”
McGee said creating a separate phase for the box culvert under the railroad, which runs along Highway 51, allows more bidders to propose work for the project.
“It will allow more bidders to make offers who are used to doing work with the railroad,” said McGee.
The new culvert will replace the 100-year-old Illinois Central box culvert, which allows Purple Creek to run under the railroad track.
“The new roadway will cross the Illinois Central Railroad at grade, similar to the crossing on Jackson Street in Ridgeland,” said Chris Bryson, city engineer, in a previous Sun article.
“There’s the main road project and the replacement of a box culvert under the railroad track,” McCollum said in a previous article. “We’re starting the (culvert) sooner because we have the right of way for that.”
Once the box culvert is replaced, the city will move forward with the project by trying to move utilities on U.S. Highway 51.
“It’s the same situation (as the rehab project). The plan specification and estimates package has been sent, and we’re waiting to hear back from MDOT for a concurrence on the authorization to bid,” McCollum said.
