Pike County Fiscal Court on May 21 approved change orders and single-source contracts to repair or rebuild multiple bridges damaged by recent floods, including a $338,385 change order for the Woodman Summer bridge and a $1,985,325 contract for the Middle Elk (Bridal Elk) bridge.

Court members said the additional work was driven by a FEMA bridge engineer’s recommendations and that following FEMA’s specifications was required to secure federal reimbursement for those repairs.

The judge and commissioners said the court had advertised the bridge work and opened bids; subsequent FEMA recommendations raised project scopes and costs. The court approved a change order that raised the Woodman Summer project from an original $98,385 bid to about $338,385 after FEMA required additional rip-rap, abutment rock and backfill, extra bracing, removal and replacement of damaged deck elements, and related work. The court also moved forward to acquire a contractor by noncompetitive negotiation for the Middle Elk bridge, approving a contract price of $1,985,325 for the reconstruction.

County staff told the court they had put the projects out to bid earlier but FEMA’s review occurred after bids were submitted; that review led to the added scopes and higher price estimates. The court recorded motions to approve the change order and to award the Middle Elk contract and called the roll for each item; the recorded votes for both were unanimous approvals.

Court members said construction on Woodman Summer is expected to begin as soon as the contract documents are signed and that materials orders for Middle Elk were being placed so work could begin promptly. County officials noted the work is intended to meet FEMA’s standards so the county does not incur ineligible costs.

The court also discussed the logistics of starting work quickly for residents blocked by washed-out crossings and said contractors would begin mobilization and ordering materials immediately.

Moving ahead with the FEMA-driven scope increases means substantially higher county outlays up front, county staff and commissioners said, although they expect much of eligible costs to be reimbursed under federal and state programs.