On June 29, 1979, the State Highway Department executed an engineering contract with Kemp, Springer and Associates for improvement of 10.7 miles of Highway 45 between Porterville and Scooba. The project added two parallel lanes for 9.2 miles, four-lane construction for 1.5 miles, and construction of a bridge across a railroad site. The bridge embankment collapsed because Kemp, Springer’s plans approved by the department did not require the construction contractor to utilize more stable materials. Because the Federal Highway Administration would not help finance repairs, the Highway Department used $790,929 in state funds.
The failure could have been avoided if Kemp, Springer had followed the department’s soils report recommendations and participants in the Highway Department’s office review of plans had detected Kemp, Springer’s omission.
For a paper copy of this report, contact PEER by telephone at 601-359-1226 or by e-mail at reports@peer.ms.gov.