Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Bridge Emergency topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County ratifies emergency bridge repair on CR 664B after chemical grout stabilization
Summary
Hardee County staff reported closure, emergency stabilization and reopening of the CR 664B (Griffin) bridge after FDOT found undermining; county used a piggyback contract for chemical grouting and is seeking FEMA reimbursement for the expense.
Hardee County Manager Christopher Simpron updated commissioners on April 3 about emergency repairs to Griffin Bridge (bridge no. 060040) on County Road 664B after a February FDOT inspection found significant erosion undermining the approach slab.
Simpron said the county received a deficiency letter from the Florida Department of Transportation, and a follow-up inspection identified additional erosion around multiple quadrants of the bridge. The county closed the bridge on Feb. 19 and executed a piggyback contract to use Shenandoah (via a competitively bid Broward College contract) to perform soil stabilization using chemical-grout injection.
Simpron reported the initial proposal (based on preliminary ground‑penetrating radar) was roughly $27,300; after full GPR results and scope refinement the material estimate rose to about $53,500. He said actual material used totaled 5,951 pounds of chemical grout and the final expenditure was approximately $53,145; the repair was completed March 5 and the bridge reopened March 6.
The manager asked the board to ratify the county manager’s signature on the piggyback contract; he said the county used the transportation trust fund for roads and bridges for the emergency payment. Simpron told commissioners the county plans to submit the repair for FEMA public assistance reimbursement (the item will be included under event inventory entries for recent storms) but cautioned FEMA reimbursements can take years — he cited the county’s ongoing work on reimbursement from Hurricane Ian as an example.
Commissioners asked whether there is funding to cover costs until reimbursement is received (Simpron confirmed the county used the transportation trust fund) and discussed the emergency contract procurement and road/bridge funding mechanics. Simpron said staff had previously alerted the board that the bridge had been closed and later reopened and recommended formal ratification of the contract action taken under an emergency protocol.
