LAWRENCE CO. – During Thursday morning’s meeting of the Lawrence County Redevelopment Commission, members received an update on efforts discussed at a previous meeting for the county to fund repairs at Mitchell’s Meridian Road, including the area’s bridge.
The county received three bids for the proposed work on the road. Those came from Flynn & Sons, Milestone Contractors and E&B Paving, RDC member Wally Branham told fellow commissioners. He also noted that Milestone were the only ones to respond with an estimate for work to the bridge.
Branham also noted that he spoke with Mitchell Mayor Nathan Jenkins, who he said felt the repairs were needed urgently.
Brent Roberts, of Butler, Fairman and Seufert, spoke to the commission to go over some of the findings of his company’s inspection of the bridge. Their findings were that the structure was in poor condition and would likely need to be replaced to handle the heavy loads often carried across by larger vehicles, such as those heading to the nearby Lehigh plant.
Inspectors from Butler, Fairman and Seufert recommended a weight limit be posted on the bridge until it could be replaced.
Roberts also expressed some potential concerns with a plan to replace the structure, including the length of the process due to the need to obtain permits and right-of-way issues with the land in the nearby area. Branham later explained that be believed the land was owned by the City of Mitchell, which would alleviate right-of-way concerns.
Roberts advised the commission that the bid from Milestone, which he said was around $200,000, was a fair price for the work, though it did not include the costs associated with obtaining the necessary permits.
No action was taken on the matter during Thursday’s meeting.
