Osprey Avenue bridge reopens to traffic

Cars and trucks began driving back across the Osprey Avenue bridge on Friday, July 14, after being closed nearly a year.

The city closed the bridge last August as crews drilled beneath the Hudson Bayou as part of the Lift Station 87 project.

Earlier this year, the city successfully completed the microtunneling beneath the bayou. The bridge reopened to pedestrian and bicycle activity last month.

Engineering firm McKim and Creed is working to begin the next phase of construction on Lift Station 87, a new facility that will handle one-third of the city’s wastewater. The firm has received applications for a contractor for the construction of the lift station, which will be located at 1900 Mound St. in Luke Wood Park.

Lift Station 87 will replace Lift Station 7, located at 935 Pomelo Ave. Construction of Lift Station 87 is scheduled to continue through 2020.

“City staff and the project team extend our thanks to businesses and residents for their patience during this work,” Utility Director Mitt Tidwell said in a city release. “We know construction can be an inconvenience, but once we complete this project, our community will have a more reliable, environmentally sound wastewater system.”