Five bridges in Marion County are set to be replaced in coming months using funding from the state gas tax.
Work will cost an estimated $2 million on Lampton Hilltop Road, Shiloh-Firetower Road and New Hope Road as well as two bridges on Pine Burr Road.
The Marion County Board of Supervisors discussed the projects this week with County Engineer Jeff Dungan.
He advised the county would be receiving $2.5 million for State Aid roads and said while that is a lot it will not take them far. The source of the $2.5 million is the gas tax, and even though the cost of maintaining roads has escalated, the fuel tax has stayed the same so the funding covers less work. In addition the $2.5 million is for the entire four-year term.
“It is what’s projected for the four years so we are spending money that actually hasn’t come in yet. They have given use the authority to spend up to 90% of what we will get,” Dungan said. “Unless the fuel tax changes, this money is not going to change and hasn’t changed in 30 years."
Dungan continued, “I’m not promoting a tax or fuel tax increase, but clearly something has to change with our funding to be able to keep our roads up.”
On March 24 bids will be awarded to replace three State Aid bridges on Lampton Hilltop Road, Shiloh-Firetower Road and New Hope Road. Dungan advised once those bids have been awarded most likely half of the state aid money will already be spent.
“These should have been done two terms ago,” Beat 4 Supervisor Raymon “Tater” Rowell said.
Dungan agreed but acknowledged the money has not been available to do the work.
Dungan also said that the county has received approval from State Aid to replace the Pine Burr Road bridges. Bidding will not begin for several months. He estimates the costs of this job to be between $700,000 to $800,000.
“That’s five State Aid bridges we got approval on that all five are really bad,” he said.
He advised that between the five bridges possibly $2 million of the $2.5 million is already gone.
Dungan mentioned two major projects that also need to be done this term, including maintenance of culverts on Turnage Chapel Road, Airport Road and Goss Bunkerhill Road. Riverbend Road has received damaged from the mining operation, and Dungan estimated the cost of the projects to be around $200,000.
Dungan then passed around a list compiled by Cory Stringer of what he thinks the worst 60 state roads are in Marion County. The road at the top of the list was Gates Road from Good Hope Road to the county line, which is about six and a half miles long.
“To patch the spots, level the ruts, reseal the surface, put a new strip and puts up signs where missing is about $50,000 a mile. To put in perspective six and a half miles is $325,000,” Dungan said.
Dungan said to wait until after the March 24 bid opening before making any decisions.
In other business, Dungan advised R & R Sheet Metal has the roofing bid on the library. The contract calls for work to be completed by April 27.
In other library news, progress has begun on moving to a temporary location at the Rankin building on Main Street. The details of the lease have not been finalized but the first four months would be rent free, beginning in February.
The lease is set to end Sept. 30 and once the free months have lapsed, rent will be $2,500 a month. A re-open date for the regular library on Broad Street has not been set yet.
In the meantime the reading program, which was held at Second Street Bean every Tuesday morning in February, will continue at the same location for March.
