Business owners react to planned Fort Bayou Drawbridge closure

With just a few days left until the closure of the Fort Bayou Drawbridge, business owners are talking about how it will impact their businesses.

For five years, Pat Taranto has operated his seafood business on the St. Martin side of Washington Avenue. He says the planned Sunday closure of the Fort Bayou Drawbridge will have a negative impact on his business.  “We have a large customer base that comes from Ocean Springs here, which is going to be blocked off. My main concern is we’re going to turn into a ghost town here.”

At a time when COVID-19 restrictions are becoming more relaxed and spring-time activities will pick up, Taranto thinks it is the wrong time to close the bridge for repairs. “Everybody’s business is starting to swing up here, and you take April away from everybody, you’re going to hurt them. A lot of lost income.”

Over on the Ocean Springs side of the bridge, Fort Bayou Bait Shop Owner Greg Verges says these repairs are much needed. “This is kind of being an inconvenience, but you’ve got to realize it’s 30 years old, you need a kneecap replaced, the bridge needs to be replaced. There’s a lot of damage through the storms through the years.”

Despite the shop’s location right next to the bridge, Verges isn’t worried about losing business. “I’ve been here long enough. It is only 45 days, and it’s not going to be a biggie. I don’t think we need to sweat things.”

But back in St. Martin, Taranto wishes the entire process was done differently and with more public input to help local residents. “I know it has to be done, but let’s do it where it minimizes the pain and suffering and hurt for the people, whether you’re in business, you live here.”

If the schedule goes as planned, the bridge will reopen towards the end of April.