Community meeting planned for east Biloxi residents

The largest municipal public works improvement project in the history of the city is coming to east Biloxi, and residents will have a chance to hear all about it in a community meeting on Thursday, July 24 at 6 p.m. at the Dr. Frank G. Gruich Sr. Community Center.

The three-year, $116 million “North Contract” represents the bulk of the city’s $355 million Restore Biloxi Infrastructure Repair Program, part of the city’s recovery from Hurricane Katrina. During the public meeting on July 24, representatives from the city, program manager HNTB, and contractor Oscar Renda Contracting will be on hand to answer questions from residents. The Gruich center, formerly known as the Biloxi Community Center, is at 508 Howard Ave.

The upcoming work has been labeled the “North Contract” because it will take place in the areas north of the CSX railway from Forrest Avenue to the tip of Point Cadet.  The project includes the replacement of the water mains, sanitary sewer lines and storm drains as well as the streets, curbs and sidewalks impacted by the construction work.

As part of this project, eight pump stations will be eliminated, a new pump station will be constructed, and one pump station will be rehabilitated.

Major east-west thoroughfares, including Bayview Avenue, Division Street and Esters Boulevard, will be impacted during this work.  “But, to be clear,” Mayor A.J. Holloway writes to residents in a postcard going out this week, “the work will impact nearly every street within these boundaries.”

The work is scheduled to begin early August 2014 and is scheduled to be completed 1,100 days later, in August 2017.

Some lane closures will be required over the course of the work as well as periodic short-term interruptions to water service. The city will work to inform residents about each of these in advance.
See the postcard and a map of the “North Contract” project area

 

Nighttime work underway on Eisenhower

City contractors have begun work to repave Eisenhower Drive in west Biloxi is underway, and Public Works Director Dan Gaillet reports that paving will take place this week at nighttime to avoid the heavy volume of daytime traffic.

Meantime, CSX has sent a revised list of temporary rail closures in Biloxi. They are: White Avenue, July 17-19; DeBuys Road, July 21-23; Veterans Avenue, July 22-24; and Rodenburg Avenue, July 23-25.
See the complete list of roadwork throughout Biloxi

 

Reminder: City Council meets twice Tuesday

The Biloxi City Council will be discussing myriad city economic development plans when councilmembers conduct a public meeting Tuesday morning, and architect Leigh Jaunsen of Dale Partners is on the agenda to update on MGM Park at Beau Rivage for the council’s Tuesday afternoon meeting.
See the morning agenda
See the afternoon agenda