STARKVILLE — Heavy rains over the weekend nearly caused a catastrophe Monday on Old West Point Road.
Shortly after noon, a motorist noticed a roughly 4-foot-by-4-foot section of Old West Point Road had collapsed under the weight of his vehicle after he crossed a bridge about one-fourth mile south of Highway 82, City Engineer Edward Kemp said. The bridge crosses an unnamed tributary of Sand Creek.
A large pile of downed trees, limbs and other debris formed a dam at the bridge, which forced rushing water into the south side of the bank. Eventually, enough of the bank washed out under the road to cause the pavement to collapse at the edge of the bridge, approximately 20 feet above.
The pavement was cracked and crumbling Monday as city road crews closed the bridge and Starkville police sent traffic on a detour.
Kemp said he was glad no additional vehicles drove over the crumbling roadway.
“If any load was to go on that road, it would collapse,” Kemp said. “You wouldn”t want to drive or even walk on that.”
Even to Kemp, the situation was surprising.
“We”ve had some erosion before, but this is pretty severe,” he said.
Ellis Construction is scheduled to look at the road today, Kemp said. City crews plan to clear the dam. It is unclear how long the road and bridge repairs will take.
The city has set up a detour for drivers on Old West Point Road.
Motorists traveling north on Old West Point Road can turn left on Critz Street, right on North Montgomery Street, right on Butler Road and right on Stowood Road, which connects with Old West Point Road just north of Highway 82. Motorists traveling south on Old West Point Road can make a right on Stowood Road, a left on Butler Road and a left on Rockhill Road, which turns into North Montgomery Street, before making another left on Critz Street.
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