VIDALIA — Work on the new Vidalia marina is back under way.

Friday, workers with D.W. Thomas and Sons Construction of Rayville were at the site of the new marina, located on the south end of the riverfront.

Work on the marina had been delayed for several months because of high water, Mayor Hyram Copeland said.

D.W. Thomas Superintendent Jeff Witcher said crews will have to regrade the unpaved area between the riverwalk and the river before it can be asphalted.

“We got most of it graded, but then the river got high, and some of the rain washed it, so we have to do that again,” Witcher said.

Once the grading is done, Witcher said the area can be asphalted, which he said could be started next week depending on the asphalt supplier.

When the area is asphalted, it will have handicapped parking to the right and more parking to the left.

The parking between the riverwalk and the river will be parallel parking.

Finishing asphalt work to a larger parking lot, located across the street from the marina entrance, will also be done, Witcher said.

The construction of the rest of the boat ramp into the river will have to wait a little while longer.

Between 100 and 120 feet of ramp need to be extended to the river, but workers will have to wait for the river to fall to 10 above gauge zero, Witcher said.

The river currently stands at approximately 23 feet above gauge zero.

When the first phase of the marina is completed, the city will begin to pursue funding for the second phase, Copeland said.

The second phase of the marina will include the construction of a floating dock and a wave alternator upriver.

A proposed third phase will include the construction of more docking space.

The cost for the first phase was $345,000.