Commissioners hear updates on bridge construction

BEDFORD – Lawrence County Highway Superintendent Brian Sowder updated the commissioners on bridge construction Tuesday morning.

Bridge 66 on Tunnelton Denniston Road is a 90-foot historic bridge with a 16-ton limit. Sowder requested permission to file paperwork for federal funds to replace the bridge, which is due on September 1.

The commissioners received numerous appraisals and the engineering report for work on Bridge 172 on Cement Plant Road over Leatherwood Creek.

Crews will replace the bridge and realign the road for $305,023.30. This is a federally funded project.

Bridge 172—This reinforced concrete girder bridge was constructed in 1909 and is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

Work continues to repair Bridge 150 on Mill Creek Road. The Federal Highway Administration and the National Register of Historic Places determined that the bridge needed demolition and that rebuilding it was the best option. A historical sign will be erected at the site of the original bridge.

Bridge 150 is a continuous encased steel beam bridge that was constructed around 1930-1935 

The Lawrence County Commissioner approved a contract with CLR for $2.6 million to replace Bridge 150. The county will pay $319,536.10. The bridge was closed on September 5, 2023.

Brent Roberts

“But due to delayed interactions with the railroad, an additional $50,000 is needed for construction, and inspections needed,” said Brent Roberts of Butler, Fairman and Seufert.

The commissioners voted to send the request to the county council for approval.