Vehicles pass under the movable platform that Texas Bridge Inc. has constructed over the I-20 Mississippi River Bridge. The 100-foot movable platform supporting the workers will be wheeled across the concrete rails of the bridge as the workers complete painting sections of the superstructure.(The Vicksburg Post/C. TODD SHERMAN)

[05/29/02]Running an estimated 200 days ahead of schedule, the actual painting of the superstructure of the Interstate 20 bridge over the Mississippi River at Vicksburg is now under way.

It is the first reconditioning and repainting project for the bridge since it opened 28 years ago.

The $11 million cost is being shared by the Louisiana Department of Transportation, the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, said Marshall Hill, LDOT project manager. The FHA will cover 80 percent of costs, with MDOT and LDOT paying 10 percent each.

Hill said the cost of the paint job is due to lead present in the original green paint that must be removed and taken to a designated landfill.

Texas Bridge Inc., of Humble, Texas, was awarded the contract for the project by LDOT last spring and began the work 11 months ago.

The first phase included sandblasting support beams and painting the underside of the bridge and was completed in April.

“We’d like to finish as soon as possible to release the traffic,” said Spiro Kollias, owner of Texas Bridge and supervisor of the project. Kollias said his crews, which work 10-hour days, six days a week, are aiming to have the rest of the estimated three-year project completed within another year.

The painting of the superstructure in a color officially known as “Louisiana gray” is being done from a platform constructed by the crews. It consists of steel beams covered by corrugated metal secured above the highway. It can be moved as crew members complete each section of the bridge.

Kollias said it will take nearly 40 moves to complete the bridge. Crew members will work on scaffolds to reach the areas on the bridge’s exterior.

“We’re using all-new equipment on this job because of safety reasons,” Kollias said.

In addition, Texas Bridge has taken precautionary measures by hanging several large tarpaulins around the work areas to ensure dust, paint chips and sandblasting material that contains lead paint are properly handled.

David Oman, corrosion engineer with Texas Bridge, said the project calls for four coats and 40,000 gallons of the new paint.

Traffic backup resulted when the work began on the superstructure two weeks ago, stalling vehicles in 5-to-10 minute intervals for nine hours as the beams of the platform were lifted above the highway by cables.

So far, there have been no accidents as a result of the work and Kollias said he expects no further traffic delays.

The outside eastbound lane on the bridge will remain closed to make room for necessary equipment, although the lane is now closed for the first 1,950 feet of the nearly one-mile bridge.

“We’re only closing one half of the eastbound lane to keep the traffic moving,” said Mike Brown, co-owner of Brown and Brown Trucking of Vicksburg who is responsible for constructing the lane barriers.

Brown said the lane will continue to be blocked off about 400 feet a month as the work progresses.

He said the project is going smoothly and is in good hands.

“(The work) is superior quality done by a very professional company they really know their work,” he said.

Kollias said because he and his 30-member crew will live in Vicksburg until the project is completed and is purchasing all needed supplies and materials here, the Vicksburg economy may be boosted by an estimated $2 million.