BROOKHAVEN — Lincoln County Engineer Ryan Holmes reported progress on various bridge projects in the county to the Board of Supervisors Monday morning. The update came during a regularly scheduled board meeting. 

One of the bridge projects is the replacement of a bridge on Lott Smith Road down the hill from Mt. Zion Baptist Church. The bridge crossing the Bayou Pierre has timber components and has to be replaced. TL Wallace won the bid for the project. 

“They drove the test pillings Friday and drove really good. We approved them and they will get them sent off for production,” Holmes said. “It generally takes three weeks. The pillings will be poured this week and must cure for two weeks before delivery. In the meantime, they might get some demolition work done.”

On Bethel Road, construction work is underway with site prep. Holmes said work to clear around the bridge has been ongoing and they will soon start to move dirt. 

“Typically we build the bridge and then the road but in this case we have to build the road to get where they can work on it,” Holmes said. 

He added two cranes would be needed to work on the bridge. 

At a separate bridge on Russell Lane, which has been closed due to failing an inspection, preliminary plans for bridge replacement are complete. Holmes said they have started on environmental work and will need to drill on either side of the bridge.