Madison Mayor says $27.5M bridge worth expense

Concerns over cost of Madison bridge

MADISON, Miss. -

A 16 WAPT News viewer recently sent an email to Feedback 16 voicing concerns about how much money is being spent to keep up Madison's brick look.

The finishing touches were being put on the bridge Wednesday. The project, which began more than two years ago, is meant to realign Madison's Main Street.

The cost of the bridge is funded by federal and state money. It includes two types of paint, the imprint of strawberries on the support beams and imprints that are supposed to look like brick.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation said the project was slated to cost $27.4 million, but will end up close to $175,000 more than that.

MDOT said the extra costs are due to the custom design and unanticipated costs. MDOT said the bridge, which is made of steel, is costlier than a concrete bridge. The decision to use steel was based off the height and length of the bridge, which crosses over the railroad.

Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler said it's worth it.

"It's an investment in the community," she said. "That bridge is going to be there when we're long gone. That is part of the history of Madison, the future of Madison. What's wrong with doing it right the first time?"

The mayor faced criticism in 2001 over construction of the Interstate 55 overpass. Using brick on that project cost an extra $100,000.

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