Board advances state-funded bridge and road projects; supervisors note county matching requirements and rescind old program funds

Claiborne County supervisors discussed several road and bridge projects at their May 5 meeting, approving actions to begin work on state-funded projects and addressing county-level matching funds.

County staff said the Dozier guardrail and other projects involved state funding; the board discussed Woodfin (referred to in the meeting variously as Woodbine/Woodfin) and Hankison (Hankison/Hankison Road in transcript). A county official told the board Woodfin’s project cost is roughly $700,000 and Hankison’s about $1.5–1.6 million; staff said the state (MDOT) approved Woodfin and that the county must supply matching funds for several road items. The transcript records the clerk warning that individual projects may require county matches in the neighborhood of $51,000 or other small match amounts depending on the project.

The board approved a motion to rescind a $220,000 program allocation from 2020 and return it to savings, which staff said would increase the county’s available funds for current projects. The rescind motion carried.

Supervisors emphasized the urgency of repairing the Woodfin bridge because posted weight limits prevented heavy vehicles and school buses from crossing; one supervisor described the bridge as an emergency because trucks and buses cannot safely pass. Staff said engineers were preparing quotes and that several contractors had been contacted to provide estimates.

No detailed construction contracts were awarded during the May 5 meeting; the actions recorded were approvals to proceed, to rescind the old program allocation, and to continue engineering and procurement steps needed for state-funded projects. The meeting record includes discussion of grant/state funding, estimated project costs, and the requirement for county matching funds prior to construction.