By By Sheila Blackmon/The Meridian Star
April 13, 2001
Construction of two replacement bridges, one on Old Highway 45 North and the other on Twitley Branch Road, could begin next month.
The Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors accepted bids for the bridges' construction at a special meeting Thursday.
County engineer Neal Carson said the projects will be state-funded by the county's Local System Bridge Replacement program, administered through the State Aid Division of the Mississippi Department of Transportation.
Supervisors awarded both bids to J &M Construction. Officials at the Toomsuba-based company submitted the low bid of $254,508 on the Old Highway 45 North bridge and the low bid of $66,243 on the Twitley Branch Road bridge.
One other company submitted a bid of $255,692 on the Old Highway 45 North project. Five other bids, ranging from $71,691 to $143,841 were submitted for constructing the Twitley Branch Road bridge.
Supervisors also accepted bids to replace load limit signs at all the county's State Aid bridges. Carson said there would be at least 200 signs replaced.
Traffic Control Products of Jackson submitted the low bid of $16,717 and was awarded the contract. Road Pro Safety Inc. submitted a bid of $16,856 and Riverside Traffic System submitted an $18,156 bid. All bids were below the State Aid estimate of $21,360.
Carson said construction on the two new bridges would probably begin in 30 days and could be complete six to eight weeks later.
Sheila Blackmon is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail her at sblackmon@themeridianstar.com.