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Barren County fiscal court approves multiple road and bridge projects, including Matthews Mill paving and Beech Tree Lane widening
Summary
Barren County Fiscal Court approved sending Matthews Mill Road to bid and authorized multiple bridge and road repairs at its July meeting, citing state funding and reimbursements to limit county tax-dollar exposure.
Barren County Fiscal Court approved a package of road and bridge actions during its July meeting, moving several projects from planning into bidding or contract award and allocating state-reimbursed funding for larger repairs.
Magistrate Tim Coomer told the court the county now has “somewhere around probably $2,000,000 worth of projects” under way and emphasized that many of the projects are funded with state cost-share or grant money. The court approved sending the Matthews Mill Road paving and culvert replacement project to bid; members said the work is funded by a legislative special program and by state bridge funds intended to preserve structures before failure.
Specific actions approved included:
- Putting Matthews Mill Road paving and tile/catchment replacement out to bid. (Motion to put to bid moved by Tim Coomer; second by Derek Pedigo; voice vote approved.)
- Accepting Bluegrass Associates' bid for Old Davidson Road repair for $64,900; county staff said 80% of the cost will be reimbursed by the state. (Motion by Tim Coomer; second by Brad Gross; voice vote approved.)
- Accepting Bluegrass Associates' bid for Rick Road culvert repair, $39,775, described by the court as an emergency repair expected to be reimbursed. (Motion by Tim Coomer; second by Marty Kinslow; voice vote approved.)
- Approving a maximum $384,823.90 contract estimate for widening and paving Beech Tree Lane (to a 20-foot roadway with a 1-foot shoulder). The court conducted a roll-call vote on that item; all voting members recorded “yes.” The county said a memorandum of agreement and state funding secured through Representative Riley and Senator Givens will reimburse much of the cost. (Motion moved and seconded; roll-call recorded unanimous yes votes.)
- Authorizing solicitation of bids for Matthews Mill Bridge repairs and for Ritter’s/Breeder’s Mill work; county officials said both projects have FEMA or state bridge funding involved and that the designs have been reviewed by multiple engineers.
- Directing staff to re-advertise the Mount Pleasant Road entrance relocation and to re-bid it later in the season in hopes of lower construction pricing.
- Authorizing advertisement for bids on a 4-ton hot box (equipment to keep asphalt mix hot for patching) and re-advertising a design-build procurement for H. Miller Road to prepare project cost estimates for LARP (Local Assistance Road Program) applications.
County staff and magistrates repeatedly stressed the use of reimbursed or grant funds where possible. Garland, identified in the record as a county staff member handling storm recovery and FEMA coordination, briefed the court about FEMA involvement and the need to seek non-county funding where feasible.
The court also approved renaming Old Kentucky 821 Cutoff Road to Jodyville Road after a petition from landowners; the resolution was included in the meeting packet and the court approved it by voice vote.
What’s next: county staff will advertise the approved projects for bid, finalize MOAs with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for projects on state-connected routes, and return to fiscal court as bids are received and reimbursements are confirmed.
