Petal business owners frustrated due to River Ave Bridge delays

PETAL, Miss. (WDAM) – “It’s devastating; It’s honestly devastating,” said Petal business owner Cynthia Holland.

The River Avenue Bridge has been delayed once again.

“These small businesses are taking one heck of a beating, and it’s not fair,” Holland said. “It’s absolutely not fair to the businesses.”

The completion date was already pushed back, and residents expected to be driving across the new bridge this week.

Forrest County Engineer Nick Connolly said they’re experiencing some delays, but they’re in the homestretch.

“We are trying as hard as we can to get this thing open as soon as we can,” said Connolly. “If it’s not done by the end of the week, it’ll be very close to being done by the end of the week. We still have two of the sections of the rail on the finger joints left to pour.

Then we have to get the grinding of the bridge deck done and that’s the majority of the work that we’ve got left on the bridge to do.”

While they expect the bridge to open soon, South Main Street on the Petal side can expect an extra 2-3 months of road closure.

Forrest County leaders say construction will run from Dawson Cutoff to Keith’s Gas Station following the bridge opening up.

Drivers will be able to cross the new bridge, but they will need to follow detour signs in that immediate area.

“We will have to do some drainage work in there,” Connolly said. “That’s got to be done in the middle of the existing road so that’s why we got a tear that all out and stop all the traffic through there.”

However, Petal business owners say they’re the ones taking the hit.

“We’re working on the Hattiesburg side and we’re working on the bridge, but we’ve neglected to put anyone over here to work on Petal’s side, and the Main Street businesses are the ones that are absolutely taking a beating and hammering, and looking at losing businesses,” Holland said.

They simply want to know how much longer it will take until things are back to normal.

“I feel like the citizens that come to me and talk to me want a firm answer on the fact of exactly how much longer this is going to take,” Holland said. “When is it completely going to be opened up? How much longer are we going to have to do this?”

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