Groundbreaking for New Underpass

Here are some scenes from the recent KCS Groundbreaking Ceremony on April 23, 2002.

Cadets from the Youth Challenge Program at Camp Beauregard prepare to post the colors. (Click on picture for larger view.)
Dignitaries from around the state filled the platform and stand at attentions as the colors were posted. (Click on picture for larger view.)
Rich Dupree, Executive Assistant to the Mayor, served as "MC", and introduced the dignitaries on tthe DOTD platform. (Click on picture for larger view.)
Pineville Mayor Clarence Fields thanked everyone involved in helping to get the 20-plus year project moving and added that the project would move Pineville's downtown Main Street "back into the Mainstream" of traffic flow. (Click on picture for larger view.)
The ground was a little hard ... not to hard for these "groundbreaking professionals". (Click on picture for larger view.)

Here is the original information posted on our website about the Groundbreaking:

Info on KCS closure

Some of the pre-construction work is done, and now a time table is in place for the replacement of the Kansas City Southern railroad overpass bridge, over Main Street, in downtown Pineville. A special ribbon cutting ceremony will be held Tuesday, April 23rd, at 2:30pm. The 5.1 million dollar project should begin May 1st. (Click on picture for larger view.)

The first signs of work will be seen further up Main Street, on Shamrock Street, as drainage work will begin at the bridge just before the Central Hospital grounds. That part of Shamrock will be closed for 30-days when that phase begins. As far as the KCS Underpass is concerned, contractors will wait till the last possible moment to close that part of Main Street, with a window between late August to the first of October to start diverting traffic. Once closed, contractors are hoping to have the underpass open by early next spring.

The new structural steel overpass will be 150’ long and will have a clearance of 16’-8” for motorist. The existing railroad overpass (with a clearance of 11’-4”) will be removed; however, the contractor will maintain rail traffic until the completion of the new structure. Other improvements will see the Main Street - Military Highway - Donahue Ferry - College Boulevard intersection completely redesigned for a safer, less confusing route – with a new traffic signal system.