By Mrudvi Bakshi

Picayune Item

During Wednesday’s Pearl River County Board of Supervisors meeting, County Engineer Les Dungan updated the Board about the passing of Senate Bill 3046.

“It’s the first legislation that seems to be moving forward that provides help to the county for our roads, bridges and infrastructure. It doesn’t completely solve our problem but it does provide help,” Dungan said.   

The bill passed the Senate Tuesday, and will now move to the House for further discussion.

Dungan said the bill will provide $60 million to fund the Local System Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program over three years, providing $20 million for last year, this year and the upcoming year.

“It includes the continuation of an excellent program that has benefited the county since 1996,” Dungan said. “It’s something that is happening now and is very important for Pearl River County for helping us with funding our bridge crisis right now.”

He said the bill is expected to face some opposition from the Mississippi Department of Transportation as it diverts some money from MDOT to the local level.

Dungan said the state aid department feels positively about the passage of the bill and asked him to move forward with advertising for bids to conduct repairs to the bridge on Nellie Burks Road. He said he should have the pricing for bids by April 4.

In response to the Board’s request at the last meeting, Dungan presented pricing for the repair of two bridges that were recently closed.

Dungan estimated repairs to the concrete bridge on Olive Church Road to cost about $18,000. From the four quotes received, Dungan suggested the Board approve the lowest quote of $14,850 from MGD Holdings LLC.

Dungan said the bridge on Homer Ladner Road was in worse shape than the bridge on Olive Church and needs to be replaced.

The quotes received were for work to remove the bridge and install two rail car culverts. Dungan estimated the total cost of the project to be about $97,930. Among the four quotes received, Dungan suggested the Board approve the lowest quote of $67,753.50 from Holliday Construction.

The Board approved both requests and made a motion to proceed with the lowest bid.

The next Board meeting is scheduled for March 5 at 9 a.m.