County staff provided the Jasper County Transportation Committee with an update on CTC (county transportation) funds, recent material deliveries and planning for a bundled asphalt contract.

Jim, the presenter identified in the transcript by his first name, said: “We had 300,000 this year for 57 stone. We've had $265,000 of that stone delivered already, which is approximately 41 or 4,160 tons. It's at $63.70 a ton.” He said the supplier, identified in the transcript as Blythe, is expected to deliver the remainder later this month or in early February.

Jim told the committee he issued an RFP for engineering firms to handle CTC projects and other county asphalt-related projects and that he wrote a memo recommending that county council approve “j bridal, consultants” (as stated in the transcript) to serve as engineering consultant. He said that recommendation will appear on the county council agenda for its Jan. 20 meeting.

He listed the projects proposed for one engineering and paving package: Volunteer Park Drive; the old Hospital Road behind the Polaris loop; and sites named in the transcript as Robert, Bill, Graves, and Kushihashi. Jim said the goal is to bundle projects into one contract for asphalt work to achieve cost savings and to have the package ready for solicitation in late spring or early summer.

Committee members asked for written copies of the project proposals and for contact information for the design consultant; Jim said he would send a list and that he had already passed the consultant contact information to staff. Members also raised site-specific questions (a site referenced as Casacci and areas beyond Frontage Road) and asked about timing relative to the I-95 phased upgrades. Committee discussion noted that the relevant phase of I-95 (phase 3 affecting off-ramps) is several years away and that some work on the corridor will not complete until around 2029.

Jim said preliminary engineering has been shared with the consultant and that SCDOT and the consultant are working on designs; he said public meetings will be held as the projects advance.

The committee did not take a formal vote on awarding engineering work at the meeting; Jim said he will forward the consultant recommendation to county council for action at its January 20 meeting.