The plan for the Jimmie Davis Bridge has changed considerably now that more funding is available. If given final approval during this legislative session, $100 million would be available for this bridge.

DOTD Secretary Dr. Shawn Wilson tells KEEL News he is now planning to build an entirely new 4-lane bridge. The earlier plan was to build a new 2-lane span and refurbish the existing bridge. But Dr. Wilson says it will actually be quicker to build a brand new structure. He hopes to break ground within the next 2 years, but says that is completely up to the direction he gets from state lawmakers.

 

Dr. Wilson says the existing bridge could be turned into a bike/pedestrian bridge. But he says:

It could be retained as a linear park for walking, biking, etc, but it would need local sponsors. That is not something the state operates and maintains. We could participate in the establishment of such a park provided resources are available.

Record Crowds Show Up for Mudbug Madness

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

 

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