Richland County commissioners approve $4.3M for repairs, replacement of area bridges
The Richland County Engineer’s office is going to be busy with construction projects next year and beyond. County Commissioners on Thursday approved around $4.3 million worth of bridge replacement contracts and applications for summer paving and future bridge replacements.
Commissioners approved a $624,097 contract with Crawford Construction of Galion to replace a 37-foot-long steel beam bridge built in 1969 on Brubaker Creek Road, on the border of Franklin and Weller townships, with a 58-foot concrete box beam span. Crawford Construction was one of five companies that submitted figures when bids were opened Nov. 30.
County Engineer Adam Gove said that while the company’s low bid was more than 10% over the engineer’s estimate of $543,511, the Ohio Legislature recently changed the limit to 20% over the estimate and the bid was 14% over. “Overall, we’re happy. We had five bidders and three of those were pretty close so I think this is representative of the work that needs to happen,” Gove said. “We were off on our estimate on some of the items which made a pretty big difference.”
Contract awarded for work on Rinehart Road bridge
Commissioners also awarded a $444,512 contract to R&I Construction of Tiffin to replace a 23-foot steel beam bridge on timber abutments on Rinehart Road just off Possum Run Road in Jefferson Township that was built in 1954 with a 45-foot span concrete box beam structure with concrete abutments. Eight firms bid on the project with the R&I bid just 0.4% over the engineer’s estimate.
Ninety-five percent of the construction and inspection services for the Brubaker Creek Road bridge replacement will be paid for with state funds administered by the Ohio Department of Transportation and the County Engineers’ Association of Ohio. The Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) will pay for 45% of the Rinehart Road project.
Commissioners also authorized Gove to apply for OPWC funds to cover up to $500,000 of an estimated $1.25 million project to resurface 15 miles on parts of seven different roads. The work will be done with both hot mix asphalt and cold constructed asphalt.
Both bridge projects and the paving work are expected to be done next summer. Roads will be closed for 90 days for the bridge projects.
Gove also asked for and was granted permission to apply for OPWC funds for five other bridge replacement projects totaling $1.25 million. The board also gave the OK for a contract with ODOT to provide 95% funding for a bridge replacement project on Shoup Road in Plymouth Township, with an estimated cost of $731,600.
“This is just a preliminary estimate because there are no plans at this point,” Gove said. “This is just the initial application. Funding for that project wouldn’t be available until 2027 or 2028.”
Gove said officials hope to get one or two of the five bridges done in late summer or the fall of 2024 with the rest to be done in the 2025 construction season.
Quarterly meeting with department heads
Commissioners also held their last quarterly department heads meeting of the year.
Maintenance supervisor Josh Hicks reported that the project to remodel the L2 level of the courthouse into offices for the Clerk of Courts has been underway for about three weeks and that “a lot” of progress has been made. He also told the board that courthouse elevator repairs should start the first part of 2024 and that upgrades to the building restrooms are the next project.
Wastewater director Amanda Miller told the board that planning work is continuing on the Bellville sewer upgrades and that a generator for a lift station on Ohio 39 that the department has been waiting for 18 months to be delivered is in and will go on line in several weeks. Emergency Management Agency director Rebecca Owens said that all tornado sirens that were reported as non-working have been repaired and that she, county administrator Andrew Keller and sheriff’s Captain Jim Sweat are working on reviewing proposals submitted for upgrading the county Multi Agency Radio Communications System.
Dayspring director Michelle Swank reported that the new nurses’ station addition is operating and worked as designed when several residents had to be quarantined. She also said residents want to thank the Richland County community for their continued support, particularly at Christmas time with regular families bringing cookies and donuts, going caroling down the hallways and bringing gift bags.
“Some of our residents do not have family or their family is not a part of their lives so it means a lot to our people so they’re not forgotten.” Swank said.
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Commissioners OK $4.3M to repair, replace area bridges
