No firm date is set for finishing new bridges along Fisher Ferry Road at the Big Black River, but officials and their builder say finishing touches should wrap up on time and without penalty.

Twin spans on the north-south thoroughfare should be striped and landscaped under its current 170-day contract time, said Brian Robbins of ABMB Engineers Inc., the county’s engineering firm. Through February, builder Fordice Construction had used 155 contract days and the job was 91.85 percent complete, according to ABMB. The $1.5 million task is financed with state subsidies from the Office of State Aid Road Construction.

Traffic has rolled north and south across the older spans nearly since the replacement began in late 2010, save for when support pilings were replaced last fall and since late February when asphalt was applied. In November, Warren County supervisors extended the contract by 20 working days when the company cited delays due to last spring’s historic Mississippi River flood and the need for longer pilings than originally planned. Vehicles were allowed on the old bridges when the state closed U.S. 61 South for three weeks while standing backwater on the road receded.

Progress also was slowed when builders had to switch asphalt types, which multiplied the amount of paperwork with the state, said Hunter Fordice, the firm’s president.

“We got the asphalt down last week, and we should start the striping Monday or Tuesday,” he said.

Completion of the bridge this month should save the firm from paying penalties. A new bridge on Redbone Road at Paces Bayou was opened to traffic in October after seven months of work. Laurel-based Magco Inc. was penalized $1,200 on the $541,845.62 project after the firm missed its 90-working day deadline. Penalties in the Mississippi State Specifications for State Aid Road and Bridge Construction are based on contract value, up to $100 a day for contracts up to $25,000 and $1,400 a day for those that exceed $10 million.