Bridge In Prentiss County Restored

TUPELO, Miss. (PRESS RELEASE) – The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has completed repairs on a Highway 145 bridge between Baldwyn and Booneville in Prentiss County.

During a recent bridge inspection, MDOT determined the posted

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weight limit for Bridge No. 248.8 should be restricted to five tons in gross vehicle weight. Upon further inspection, it was determined the bridge’s deck was deteriorating to a point that was unsafe for the traveling public.

“Our bridge inspection crews are constantly evaluating every bridge throughout the state,” said Northern District Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert. “Once the deterioration of the Highway 145 bridge was determined to be significant, our team developed the best course of action to keep the traveling public safe. Safety is always our first priority.”

MDOT crews repaired a section of the concrete bridge deck that had

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begun to fall through. This involved removing the old concrete, repairing the steel rebar and recasting the concrete deck.

“I am extremely proud of the work done by our district bridge crew,” said MDOT Executive Director Melinda McGrath. “This bridge was posted on July 11 and by July 14 it was restored to its original condition. The speed and precision of this project shows MDOT’s commitment to safety and utilizing funds for the greatest needs in our state-maintained infrastructure.”

Since the repairs, MDOT has removed the five ton gross weight restriction on Bridge No. 248.8 on Highway 145 in Prentiss County. The posting for this bridge has been restored to 27 tons for H-trucks and 32 tons for HS-Short trucks.