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Commission withdraws from federal Joint Bridge Investment Program, citing high local cost estimates
Summary
Road Department recommended withdrawal after staff reported many unknowns with the federal grant and an engineer estimate of about $4.8–5 million for a bridge that local staff estimate could be replaced for roughly $300,000–$400,000; the commission voted unanimously to withdraw the joint application.
Heath Sexton of the Road Department asked the commission to consider participation in a federal Joint Bridge Investment Program but raised multiple concerns: many unanswered questions about federal requirements, requirement that the county would have to fund the project up front, and an engineer’s estimate of approximately $4.8–5 million for a bridge replacement.
"The estimate that the consultant engineer gave us was $5 million and that's pretty much take all of our funds in the road department for the next couple years for this one bridge," Sexton said, adding that a similar local replacement could likely be completed for about $300,000 to $400,000. Commissioners said the cost disparity and the uncertainty of receiving federal funds justified withdrawing; they voted unanimously to do so.
Why it matters: Withdrawing removes the county from a federal application but also avoids committing to a large potential shortfall if the county were required to front funds for a project that may not be funded.
What’s next: The county will pursue locally funded options or other funding paths for the bridge rather than the joint federal application.
