Commissioners to consider bridge funding agreement
WAYNESBURG – Greene County Commissioners agreed Wednesday to place on the agenda for today’s meeting approval of an agreement with the state Department of Transportation for additional funds to replace the Burson Bridge in Morgan Township.
The single-lane bridge crosses Ten Mile Creek and connects Burson Plan, a development of about 19 homes, to Clarksville Road. The bridge is the only way in and out of the community.
The existing bridge, 131 feet long and about 13 feet wide, was constructed in 1957 and was last refurbished in 1987. Its replacement was a priority for the county for several years, because it is the only route into the community and has a 20-ton weight restriction.
The bridge will be replaced with one that will be wider but will still have only one lane. This was the community’s preference because of concerns related to unwanted traffic.
The new bridge will be built next to the old bridge. Work is expected to start in February and be completed in November, a PennDOT spokeswoman said.
Though the bridge is county-owned, PennDOT is picking up the tab for its replacement, county Chief Clerk Jeffrey Marshall said.
Bids for the project were recently opened by PennDOT and the apparent low bid was a little higher than the original estimate, he said. The agreement will increase the budget for the project from about $2 million to $2.24 million, Marshall said.
Part of the reason for the higher costs was the difficulty the contractor will face getting its crane and other equipment to the other side of the creek because of weight restrictions on the bridge, Marshall said.
Following the meeting, Marshall reported engineers from Widmer Engineering continue to assess damage to Pollocks Mill Bridge, which was damaged Sunday afternoon when a water tanker truck attempted to cross it.
The truck collapsed part of the wooden deck on the 136-year-old bridge, which is restricted to 4 tons. Two large tow trucks were used to remove the truck on Monday.
Marshall said the engineers have to complete a thorough inspection of the bridge before they can say whether the structure can be repaired.
In other business, the commissioners will consider a motion to designate Marshall the sole authorized signatory for documents related to all county bridges.
They also will consider a motion to enter an agreement with Tropical Amusements Inc. to provide amusements and concessions for five years, 2015 through 2019, for the Greene County Fair.
The commissions also plan to approve a proclamation designating October as domestic violence awareness month.