Smith Lake Rd. bridge closed
Published 6:00 am Tuesday, March 4, 2003
Some motorists will have to find an alternate route after aSmith Lake Road bridge was closed Monday after failinginspection.
The Smith Lake road bridge, just south of the Callender Roadintersection, was one of four requested closings after a Februaryinspection of 105 of the county’s critical bridges. The three otherbridges — on Butler Lane and Holmesville Road in District 4 and onthe Durr-Case Road in District 5 — were not as bad as the SmithLake structure, which has a 6,000 pound weight limit.
“That one is in bad, bad shape,” said County Engineer Carl RayFurr in discussing the bridge report with supervisors duringMonday’s meeting.
District 2 Supervisor Bobby J. Watts was reluctant to close thebridge initially. He alluded to calls he could expect due to theclosure.
“I’d get drowned without water there,” Watts said.
The bridge has been targeted for replacement, but there are nostate funds available for the project.
“I’ve got all the easements and all the utilities have beenmoved, but we’ve got no money,” Watts said.
At their last meeting, supervisors delayed a contract on twoother bridge projects due to the lack of state funds.
“The bridge situation is pitiful,” said District 3 Supervisorand Board President Nolan Earl Williamson, who is also awaitingother funding go-aheads for bridges in Bogue Chitto and on TopisawDrive.
Watts said he would barricade the Smith Lake bridge by 10 a.m.Tuesday. In addition to decay in the bridge itself, Watts said thepilings are decayed and hollow.
“They look good, but all the insides are rotten,” Wattssaid.
One estimate to replace the bridge was $135,000 to $160,000.Watts said he would look at some temporary measures to allow thebridge to be reopened.
“It’s going to cause a lot of problems that I don’t like, butthere’s nothing I can do about it,” Watts said of the closure.”It’s a liability to the general public.”
District 4 Supervisor W.D. “Doug” Moak said the Butler bridgerepairs had been made following recent rains, and the Holmesvillebridge would be blocked off until temporary repairs could be made”in a day or so.”
District 5 Supervisor Gary Walker said a drainage study andtemporary repairs would be done on the Durr-Case bridge.
“I’m going out there to look at that myself,” Walker said.
A county road project is also threatened by the shortage ofstate funds.
The county does not have enough State Aid money to pursue aMontgomery Road overlay and widening. The project is estimated at$1.2 million.
Furr said the road is programmed to be done as soon as State Aidfunding is authorized through the legislature. Furr’s associate,Hugh Long, encouraged Moak to obtain needed rights of way asquickly as possible so the project can be done without delay.
“The Montgomery Church Road project is the number one priorityState Aid project in Lincoln County,” Furr said.