The I-55 Interstate overpass by South Mississippi County School District will soon get much needed repairs.
"A few months ago some of the concrete fell off and you could see I-55 interstate from the top of the overpass," Mike Smith, superintendent of South Mississippi County School District, explained. "The Highway Department patched it and it is passable but it is still in pretty bad shape."
"The State Highway 14 overpass by Rivercrest like several others in the county is in bad need of repair," Mississippi County Sheriff Dale Cook said. "Some concrete came lose one day there and several vehicles hit that hole. It caused some congestion there but the Highway Department patched that and there has not been any incidents there in several months. It is our hope that the Highway Department will fix that overpass first and then focus on the others in the county that are also in need of repairs."
Cook like Smith said making sure the buses transporting students to and from South Mississippi County School District can do so safely is the main concern. The district uses the overpass extensively throughout the day with 8-10 bus routes traveling it twice a day and buses cross it hourly taking student to Arkansas Northeastern College during the school day.
Although the overpass has been patched, in Smith's opinion a lot more needed to be done. Stewart Linz, with Arkansas Highway Departments Heavy Bridge maintenance, said the overpass is scheduled for repairs soon.
"The district is planning on putting an epoxy sealer on it and an asphalt wearing surface on it in the next 3 to 4 weeks," Linz said. "The product that is being used is temperature dependent so it has to be the right temperature to gain the strength that is needed. With strengthening the deck and putting the epoxy on it, it should make it stronger and a smoother."