A new route for heavy vehicles in Vicksburg will be designed to avoid the Clark Street bridge on Washington.

Public Works Director James &#8220Bubba” Rainer spoke to a group of businessmen Wednesday about the change, set to take place next week. He said the decision was made after the bridge again received unsatisfactory safety marks from the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

The bridge crosses rail tracks near the Isle of Capri Casino-Hotel complex. It has steep embankments, given to erosion.

About 19 years ago, a bridge abutment collapsed, causing the bridge to be closed for years. It was repaired and reopened, but for the last three years signs have been posted saying the bridge should not be crossed by large trucks. In 2002, a state inspection found the bridge had shifted about 1 1/2 inches to the east.

Rainer said the continued pressure of the heavy loads on commercial trucks is adding stress on the bridge, which is being closed to trucks and buses weighing more than 24,000 pounds. Cars, pickups, vans and other similar vehicles will still be allowed to cross the bridge.

&#8220Any pickup truck or car will not come close to the weight limit,” Rainer said.

He said the posted weight limit signs have not deterred heavy commercial trucks from crossing the bridge.

&#8220I’m not comfortable anymore,” Rainer said. &#8220I can’t sit there and let large loads go by. It all backs up to a safety issue.”

Several businessmen disagreed with the city’s decision to close the bridge.

Louie Miller Jr., president of Riverside Construction Company, said the bridge closure will result in huge financial losses for businesses. He estimated the only feasible detour would take trucks miles out of their way.

About 7,200 vehicles cross the bridge daily, and it is a major truck route from downtown to Interstate 20.

&#8220You can’t come up and just tell us all of a sudden we’re out of business,” Miller said. &#8220Work needs to be done and you’ve got to haul the material.”

Miller asked Rainer if there is a group of people in Vicksburg trying to get rid of commercial truck traffic through the city.

Rainer maintained the decision was based on public safety.

&#8220You could go over that bridge for another 10 years, but then again if you go across tomorrow and something happens I’m going to look pretty foolish and the City of Vicksburg would be paying someone a lot of money,” Rainer said.

Vicksburg Police Deputy Chief Richard O’Bannon said the police department will assist the city in enforcing the weight regulations. He said industrial trucks crossing the bridge will risk a ticket.

Rainer said the bridge will eventually be closed to all traffic when the city begins replacing it, using $5 million of federal funding. The project could take three years to complete, according to information from Rainer.

The weight restriction on the bridge will affect not only businesses but the Vicksburg Warren School District and local emergency response agencies. School buses and fire trucks are among the vehicles that will have to take alternate routes.

Rose Shaifer, deputy chief of the Vicksburg Fire Department, said she doesn’t think the weight limitation will keep emergency response personnel from reaching their destinations.

&#8220We’re going to do what we have to do to make it work,” Shaifer said. &#8220We’re going to reroute around those bridges. We’ll map out the routes we’re going to take.”