Board of Supervisors accept bids on two bridges currently closed by MDOT

Poplarville--At yesterday’s meeting of the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors, the board heard an update from county engineer Les Dungan on Mississippi Senate Bill 3046 and the bids he received for repair work on two county bridges that are currently closed by mandate of MDOT inspections.

Bill 3046 was passed by the State Senate and now moves on to the House. The bill will provide $60 million dollars of funding for LSBP which will be split with $20 million dollars for last year, the current year, and next year. That yearly amount is equal to the amount the LSBP program had been funded in the past according to Dungan. Dungan said the bill must make it through the Senate, and will most likely have some opposition because Bill 3046 diverts money from MDOT to local funding. He said that the state aid department, who disperses funding from the state to the local level, felt confident enough about the prospect of the bill’s passage, that they told Dungan to go ahead and advertise bids for Nellie Burks bridge replacement. Dungan said he hopes to have bids back on April 4th.

Dungan had information on the bids that the Supervisors asked him to put together during the last board meeting on the two bridges that were recently closed by MDOT inspectors. The Olive Church Road bridge work will require the replacement of three pilings that are in the headwall of the structure and the cost was estimated to be around $18,000.00 per Dungan. The four quotes received were better than he had estimated, with the lowest quote coming in at $14,850.00 from MGD Holdings, LLC of Bassfield, MS. Dungan recommended the county accept the bid from MGD Holdings and the board approved his request.

Dungan had estimated the work on the bridge on Homer Ladner Road to be $97,930.00 to remove the existing bridge and install rail car culverts in its place. He received four bids and the lowest bid was from Holliday Construction in the amount of $67,753.00. The board accepted Dungan’s recommendation to accept the bid from Holliday Construction.

District 3 Supervisor made a statement, mainly addressing those in the audience who were not aware, stating “I have no, absolutely zero interest in that company.” to which Dungan responded jokingly, “There’s definitely more than one Holliday around here” and his comment drew a large laugh from all of those present in the board room.