At least $1.5 million of a $4 million federal earmark requested by Vicksburg officials to help fund the bridge replacement project at Washington and Clark streets has cleared a preliminary step, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson said.

“This is a step in the right direction and we’re grateful to Congressman Thompson for his work,” said Mayor Paul Winfield, who added he is “very confident” an additional $2.5 million will also be allocated to the project.

While groundwork has yet to begin on the roadway-topped tunnel that is to replace the 80-year old span, a contract for the $8.6 million project was inked with Kanzaa Construction in early June. The contract calls for the project, which also includes creating a new detour road to Lee Street via the DiamondJacks Casino entrance, to be complete within 12 months. The bridge is a key link between downtown and Interstate 20. Its closure since January 2009 has been a headache for motorists, businesses along Washington Street and politicians alike.

Obtaining the full federal earmark, which still faces several legislative steps, is important to other large projects in the city because the mayor and aldermen in late March transferred $3.7 million in bond funds for those projects to get the contract signed on the tunnel project. The bond funds were originally earmarked for paving projects in the North Ward and the final phase of the developing sports complex on Fisher Ferry Road, and are to be replenished by the federal allocations.

“On the Senate side, they’re pushing for funds as well,” said Winfield, who noted he was again pushing local delegates for the money last week. “We all just need to be even more vigilant now as we go into the process with the Senate. It’s been a coordinated effort from the beginning, and I think we’ve done a very good job of educating our federal delegates about the need and priority of this project.”

When city officials and representatives from the county, Chamber of Commerce, port commission and visitors bureau made their annual trek to Washington, D.C., in early February to lobby local delegates, funding for the bridge replacement topped their wish list. The formal request for the federal earmark was filed later that month.

Thompson said Wednesday it had been added to the fiscal 2011 appropriations bill being considered by the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies.

The city agreed to the not-to-exceed $8.6 million contract price with Kanzaa last summer, but did not have all the funding in place to get the work started.

The cost had nearly doubled since officials set aside $5 million of a $16.9 million bond fund for the work in 2006. The rededication of bond funds finally got the funding in place. Kansas City Southern, owner of the tracks below the bridge, is to pay $4 million.

Sloughing near the bridge approaches has caused problems for years.

Winfield said Kanzaa workers have been on site assessing the work and planning for a ground-breaking, which he anticipated “any day now.”