The effects of Katrina can be seen along the entire length of the Trace.
Here are some April 2006 scenes near Prentiss.
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01/24/06 The cleanup is more or less complete. It was
necessary to hire contractors to clear the more than 20,000 trees,
numerous hazards, and debris along the trail in order to return it to
operation. FEMA has pledged to contribute over $1 million, but trail
supporters and it's governing authority, the PLRRTTRD (Pearl to Leaf
Rivers Rails to Trails Recreational District) will be responsible for
approximately $100,000 of the cost of cleaning up. The District does not
currently have the funds to pay its share of the cost, and would
appreciate any donation you can make. Help is needed from the many
bikers, hikers, bladers, and horseback riders who enjoy and support the
Longleaf Trace. Everyone will want to support the recovery of this
National Recreation Trail. If you can assist, please send a check to: 11/23/05 The maintenance crew is still combing the horse trail and pavement for overlooked "hangers" and any new debris, so if you encounter any workers be careful and give them room to work. 11/19/05 The entire Trace, including the horse trail, is open. Thanks for your patience during the cleanup. 11/15/05 Final cleanup is in progress. Barring further bad weather, the Trace is expected to be open for it's entire length starting Saturday November 19th. Congratulations and many thanks to the Trail Manager, his maintenance crew, the volunteers, and the contractors for getting the Trace back to normal so quickly. 11/05 The Trace is now open for normal use from the Southern Miss Gateway to the Clyde Depot Station, and from Sumrall to Prentiss. The section from Sumrall to Clyde is still closed. Please do not trespass. Lamar County law enforcement is patrolling. Violators will be prosecuted. The estimate on opening this remaining section is now November 12th.
10/30 The Trace is now open for normal use from the Southern Miss Gateway to the Clyde Depot Station. Note the barrier just short of Clyde Depot, and if you want to go to the depot, use the marked detour. If entering at Clyde, remember the Trace is closed west of Clyde. Go east on the gravel road next to the Trace until past the barrier. The open part of the Trace looks good and routine maintenance (mowing, sweeping, etc.) has been done. The estimate on opening the rest of the Trace is now November 19th. 10/27 The Trace will reopen for Cautious use only from the Southern Miss Gateway to Clyde Depot on Saturday October 29th. Please do not go past Clyde as work will still be in progress. Law enforcement will be patrolling and violators will be prosecuted. This is a second attempt to allow limited use while work is in progress. If violations occur, this limited use will have to be curtailed until all work is completed and the Trace is safe to use. 10/21: See Closed Sign and the USM Recreational Sports press release on the Trace closing 10/20: The entire Trace is closed until further notice. This closure is necessary so that contractors can have unrestricted access to all sections and can finish the cleanup without endangering users. Do not enter closed (all) sections. Violators will be prosecuted. The reopening is now estimated to be in about two weeks (11/05-11/12). 10/15: Section A - Trees and major debris has been cleared to the Beaver Pond. The Trace is still covered with pine straw, pine cones, and small branches from Clyde Depot to the Beaver Pond. Do not proceed past Clyde Depot while workers are present (they are working weekends), and road bicycles and skates are not advisable. The Trace is not officially open past Clyde. Only small parts of Sections B and C have been cleared, and they are not open. Due to the equipment access, no more of the Trace will be opened till it can all be opened.
Updated 10/14. Work is proceeding on all sections. The entire Trace is projected to be open by mid-November, although some work on the horse trail may still be ongoing. The bridge damage has been repaired by the maintenance crew. The Hattiesburg Visitors and Conventions Center has made a generous donation toward the cleanup. The Trace is open for Cautious use only from the Southern Miss Gateway to Clyde Depot. As more sections are open they will be posted here. Cautious use means be on the lookout for dangerous situations. The contractor may close this section at times in order to finish the cleanup. After this section was initially cleared, more tree branches and debris fell onto the Trace from overhanging banks and trees. The maintenance crew has tried to clear these but may have missed a few, or not been able to reach them. There may also be piles of debris close to the trail, and could be hazardous if you ride off the pavement. There are branches and vines drooping onto the trail and may be in your face or touching your shoulder. Danger! Contractor crews are at work. Do NOT violate their warning signs. It will be very dangerous to enter contractor work zones, even if some of the zone is already clear. They may close the open section at times in order to finish the cleanup. Herlon Pierce, Longleaf Trace Trail Manager, estimates that more than 10,000 trees are down on the Trace, and as many as 8,000 more are down on the equestrian trail. Several of the bridges are damaged. The buildings, rest stops, and weather stations suffered only minor damage. Most signs are ok in the sections he has been able to check.
Contracts have been let to have the rest of the Trace cleared. The District is eligible for assistance from various agencies and the applications are being submitted. Bids were received at the special board meeting Thursday September 29. See information on the bids received below. Volunteers, including James Moore, Mike Villalonga, Owen Munton, Scott Keeler and others have already helped the maintenance crew clear some of the trail, and their efforts are greatly appreciated! Our insurance company has asked us to control and monitor any work done by volunteers on the Trace. Please contact the Trail Manager (phone (601) 450-2453 or cell (601) 315-2453) if you or your group would like to help clear the Trace. He can advise you on location, time, dangers, where other volunteers or contractors are working, etc. If you plan to use power equipment on the Trace, you must meet with the Trail Manager before starting. Pictures taken October 1. Click on them to see full sized.
Information on the bids to clean up the Trace: Section a. is Gateway to Sumrall, Here's the breakdown on the bids (winning bids are in red): 1) DFI Construction Co (Davis-Fells(sp) Construction) out of Bassfield
2) Eatel Construction Co (Allen Construction Co)
3) Continental Rails & Excavating
4) DC General Contractors
5) Gulf Construction Corp, Theodore AL
The request for bids specified a start within 5 days of acceptance and completion within 90 days, but the contractors are estimating completion in 30 days. Both contractors were on the Trace by Monday 10/11. FEMA estimated that cleanup and repairs would cost around $1,565,000. Applications have been made for disaster assistance, but the cost to the district will be over $100,000. |
