The Bogue Chitto River bridge remains closed today, despiteearlier forecasts that it could open to traffic last week.

District Three Supervisor Nolan Earl Williamson said the bridgewas still closed while crews continued to form railings and painttraffic lines. He did not specify what may have caused thedelay.

Crews with T.L. Wallace Construction Co., of Columbia, areworking on the bridge. The company is subcontracted to a bondingagency that took over bridge-construction operations when theoriginal contractor went out of business.

Jimmy Bullock, bridge construction project manager for T.L.Wallace, said Oct. 10 that the bridge would be open by the end ofOctober.

Wallace crews continue to work on the bridge, he said, but theirwork has no influence on when the bridge will open to traffic.

Instead, the task of pouring the railings and painting theyellow lines was subcontracted to American Field Service ofMadison.

Once those tasks are complete, Bullock said, the state bridgeinspector should clear the bridge for traffic.

The bonding company, Insurance Company of the West, has beenassessed a fine of $390 a day since the contract on the bridgeexpired in June. The original $2.8 million bridge contract wasawarded to Mid-South Construction Co., of Columbia, which is nolonger in business.

The delay does not mean the bridge is behind the scheduleadopted when ICW took over operations. Original forecasts in Junecalled for its completion around Thanksgiving.

Bullock’s predictions that the bridge would open earlier werebased on the efficiency of the work crews in completing tasksquicker than expected up to that point, he said.