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County to open bids for bridge repair

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WAYNESBURG – Greene County is moving ahead with plans to repair the historic Pollocks Mill Bridge and is expected to open bids for the work later this month.

The 136-year-old bridge, which carries Pollocks Mill Road over Ten Mile Creek between Morgan and Jefferson townships, has been closed since Sept. 28 when a section of it collapsed under the weight of an overweight tanker truck.

The county is currently advertising for bids for the repairs and expects to hold a pre-bid conference for interested contractors Wednesday, said Jeff Marshall, county chief clerk.

Bids will be received until June 25. The commissioners expect to award a contract for the project in July, which could permit the repairs to be completed by the end of the year, Marshall said.

A section of the bridge collapsed when a truck owned by Buccaneer Enterprises of Buckhannon, W.Va., carrying water to a natural gas well drilling site, attempted to cross it. The bridge had a posted weight limit of 4 tons; the truck weighed about 16.5 tons, state police said.

The rear wheels of the truck broke through the bridge’s wooden deck. It took two days for two heavy-duty tow trucks operating in tandem to remove the vehicle from the structure.

The driver of the truck told police his global positioning system led him to the bridge and he did not see any weight restriction signs.

He later pleaded guilty before District Judge Lou Dayich to disobeying a traffic control device and operating a vehicle that exceeded the weight restriction and was fined $10,297.

The county commissioners in March approved a $245,000 damage claim release with Buccaneer Enterprises for repair to the bridge.

The Pollocks Mill Bridge, also known as County Bridge No. 22, was built in 1878 by Massillon Iron Bridge Co.

It is a Whipple truss bridge and is among the oldest metal truss bridges in Pennsylvania, according to the website historicbridges.org.

Marshall also reported work is proceeding on two other county bridges. the Burson Bridge in Morgan Township and Craynes Run Bridge in Washington Township. Both are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The county engineer also is now preparing engineering designs for the replacement of a county bridge off Route 21 in Graysville that provides access to the fire hall, a church and a coin laundry.

The three bridge projects are being funded by the state.

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