Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Decatur County approves on-call engineering agreement for FEMA mitigation on Bridge 63
Summary
The Board of Commissioners approved a professional services on-call agreement with United (engineering) to prepare FEMA mitigation documentation for damaged bridges, including Bridge 63, and heard an update on chip-seal work and CCM grant applications.
Decatur County commissioners on Oct. 6 approved a professional services on-call engineering agreement with United to prepare and submit FEMA mitigation documentation for storm-damaged bridges, including work proposed at Bridge 63.
Todd Houck, with the county highway department, told commissioners the county has submitted FEMA documentation and a proposed mitigation plan for the bridge near Lake McCoy and that United prepared a construction-cost estimate and task order for the application. “One of the things that came up was mitigation…we called United to help us put an estimate together,” Houck said.
Houck said crews are continuing routine road work—grading, mowing, installing culverts—and that approaches at Bridge 63 are ready. He estimated the bridge would be “open up next week or two,” contingent on completing remaining work. He told commissioners U.S. Army Corps/utility markings had led to an unexpected waterline conflict while preparing work near Bridge 167 and that FEMA documentation was broken out into categories A, B and C for submission.
Commissioners discussed expected reimbursements and the mitigation proposal’s goal of controlling recurring erosion at the roadside stream and spillway that has repeatedly undermined the road in heavy rains. Houck said the mitigation scope is intended to reduce repeated repairs that have required hauling stone into the site following major rains.
Houck also updated the board on pavement work: the county submitted two 2026 CCM (Community Crossings Matching) grant applications covering 120.2 miles total across two applications and expects competition to be strong. He reported chip-seal work had been scheduled to begin this week and that the contractor previously completed 116 miles in the southern part of the county.
After staff discussion, a motion to approve the professional services agreement with United was made and carried by voice vote.
The board did not set a separate local funding commitment in public discussion; Houck said he expects further FEMA coordination this week and an update after a scheduled meeting with FEMA staff.
