City officials hope to begin construction of a new fire station at the intersection of Berryman Road and Maxwell Drive before the winter rains set in.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen Tuesday authorized City Clerk Walter Osborne to advertise for bids to build the new station off East Clay Street. The bids are expected to be opened Aug. 10, according to the legal advertisement, which will run Friday and July 15.

“It’s just one more step forward,” said Vicksburg Fire Chief Charles Atkins. “We’re hoping we can have the contract awarded by September and construction will begin in October so we can have most of it done before the rains begin.”

An artist’s rendering of the 5,110-square-foot fire station called “Vicksburg Fire Department Station 3,” shows a brick building with a metal roof and three bays for vehicles that will open on Berryman Road. According to the bid specifications and architect’s floor plans, the third bay is optional if the project bids are underbudget. The extra bay would add an additional 1,360 square feet to the station.

Atkins said plans for the station include having a pumper, aerial truck, rescue truck and ambulance.

City officials have discussed building a new station in east Vicksburg for several years to have better and quicker access to accidents on Interstate 20, the multi-story hotels in the Clay Street area and Merit Health River Region Medical Center, which falls under the fire department’s responsibility.

City officials in April signed the final papers to purchase the 2.2-acre tract at the corner of Maxwell Drive and Berryman Road off East Clay Street from Waring Investments for $400,000.

Money for the land came from $1.6 million set aside for a new fire department in the city’s $9.2 million capital improvements bond issue.