A permanent repair for the Zollingers Hill bridge is on the way.

The Warren County Board of Supervisors Monday authorized county engineer Stantec to advertise for bids to replace the bridge’s wooden pilings.

Brian Robbins with Stantec said the project will replace the pilings with concrete pilings, adding, “We are trying to get rid of wooden bridges in the county, and this is one of the last ones.”

North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield, who represents the area in Vicksburg where the bridge is located, said the supervisors’ decision is good news.

“I knew they had it on their list. I didn’t know when they would get the job done, but I’m glad to hear they’ve authorized them to continue with the project,” he said. “That’s going to make a big difference, because that affects that entire neighborhood when you come in from the south. That’s going to be a good project for the entire community to have it replaced.

“We really appreciate them (the supervisors) taking it up for us,” Mayfield said. Zollingers Hill is a one-way street running between Sky Farm Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. It is a popular short cut for people living on Sky Farm and neighboring streets to the east to get to Martin Luther King.

State Aid Bridge Program engineers closed the bridge in March 2018, after an inspection indicated a section of the piling was rotting, making the bridge unsafe.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen declared an emergency and in June 2018 accepted a $16,000 quote from Fordice Construction Co. of Vicksburg to repair the damaged wooden piling on the bridge.

The bridge was reopened after the repairs, but its weight limit was reduced from 8 to 3 tons.