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Supervisors Discuss Bridge Closures Solutions
A special called meeting of the Simpson County Supervisors on Friday, September 29, 2017, was held to close out the year-end funds and books.
During the meeting, the discussion of bridge closures was addressed. Grant Blakeney LLC met before the board and gave a verbal presentation to repair the pilings damaged under the closed bridges. The estimated cost would run approximately $2,500.00 per piling. Pilings located in water could be more expensive than pilings located in dry areas. One piling could be repaired per day with a 3-man crew.
Randy Moore made a motion to declare the bridge closures a county emergency. Mickey Berry seconded the motion and all were in favor. Randy Moore made a motion to hire Grant Blakeney, LLC pending County Engineer Buddy Woolverton’s report due Monday morning during regular scheduled Board of Supervisors meeting. Brian Kennedy seconded the motion and all were in favor. Moore advised if bridges do not pass inspections Blakeney would not be paid.
An investigation will be conducted by Wolverton to determine if all bridges need to be repaired or if some bridges can be replaced with culverts. Some bridges have more issues than just pilings. Three of the bridge closures are located on dead end roads. Ben Warren, County Road Manager, suggested an employee to be schooled in these bridge inspections to help with future needs.
The closed bridges were mandated by State Aid. Fourteen of the thirty-one State Aid bridges in Simpson County were closed. The remaining seventeen bridges could face repairs during the next year inspection. Expense for these repairs could continue to be a bleeding sore.
The closing of the bridges has put a strain on an already tight county budget. The expense of the additional signs and barricades for the closures has cost the county roughly $20,000.
The Supervisors are working hard to find a quick and affordable solution to restore the county bridges and accommodate the citizens of Simpson County. With this solution, bridges will be opened as soon as pilings are replaced, citations corrected, and second inspection is completed by a State Aid inspector.
