Separate projects to extend the runway at the Columbia-Marion County Airport and build a pedestrian bridge for the Marion County Recreational Railroad are moving forward.
The $10 million runway project is scheduled to be finished in 2020, and the next deadline is to have bids opened to relocate Airport Road by June 15. County Engineer Jeff Dungan told the Board of Supervisors Wednesday that’s needed to stay in line for funding through the Federal Aviation Administration.
“The way we decided to do it is just to move (Airport Road) south and make it tie in. It was the least expensive route. … We will remove all of those houses and clear off the land that has been purchased,” he said.
The county remains in negotiations for three or four more parcels for that and a couple more for road relocation, according to Dungan.
“So far, we’ve been able to get grants for most all of the costs. The Airport Board has worked really hard to apply for the grants and do everything we have to do to get them,” Dungan said. “The city realizes that they have to move the dump and close the dump. We’re hoping they get that done by June, so the FAA will be confident that we’re moving ahead.”
Dungan also discussed the bridge for the Recreational Railroad, which will replace a burned trestle near Bluff Street Park. The project is funded by a grant through the railroad, and Dungan said hopefully it will be bid out in the next two or three months.
He said the county has been working with the Mississippi Department of Transportation to satisfy them with the plans.
“It will get people across to the end of the railroad tracks. It is a foot bridge on public property. I like that we have gone with that plan. If in the next 40 to 50 years that public right-of-way is used for something other than a railroad, then this will fall right into that,” Dungan said.
He also discussed State Aid and LSBP projects, which are state monies paid to counties for roads and bridges.
“We currently have available in LSBP money, $367,000,” he said. “It is available to be spent. In State Aid money, we have $146,000 and we have most of that pledge to match the federal project up on Williamsburg Road, where one of those bridges has been closed. It’s been ready to go for quite a while. It may have to sit there a while longer. Then we have a three-bridge replacement program that is waiting on money and it’s going to take about $938,000 to do that. So we have five bridges ready to be replaced as soon as federal and state money is available.”
The Board also received a report from Justice Court Administrator Wynette Parkman.
In December, the Justice Court took in $31,343.45 in fines, broken down as $24,385 in the criminal account, $6,130 in the civil account and $828.37 in the clearing account. Of the $31,343.45, $12,004.31 went to the state and $19,339.14 remained in the county.
In November, $36,817.78 was collected with $16,018.20 going to the state and $20,799.58 staying in the county. The December total was $1,460.44 less than November’s total.
The Marion County Board of Supervisors will meet next in regular session on Jan. 16 at its offices on Courthouse Square.
