FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County officials have set their eyes on replacing old bridges now that various buildings and a parking structure have been built or renovated.
The new focus on construction projects caught some members of the Quorum Court off guard. Some thought big spending was done, at least for the year, after discussions during last year’s budget sessions.
Washington County bridges to be replaced
“I clearly, clearly, remember last year people saying there’s nothing new coming,” said Justice of the Peace Candy Clark, chairwoman of the Budget and Finance Committee. “We asked about major capital improvements and there was nothing put forward at the time.”
Quorum Court members last week heard a pitch from Justice of the Peace Ann Harbison and residents from her district about replacing an 88-year-old bridge on County Road 35, also known as Woolsey Road. Those residents, including the West Fork fire chief, spoke during a public comment period about the need to replace the bridge.
“Ann has worked her community and done an excellent job to get support,” County Judge Marilyn Edwards said Friday. “I think their presentation showed how much they care.”
Justices of the peace also heard a report from the road department about the need to replace eight other bridges based on weight limits or high traffic volume. That discussion came during the time allotted for Edwards’ monthly report.
At A Glance
Cost Estimate
Washington County identified nine bridges in need of replacement. Below are early estimates at the cost of replacing those bridges.
Location Estimate
Woolsey Road $2,121,000
Orr Road $792,000
Stonewall Road $409,000
Greasy Valley Road $105,000
Illinois Chapel Road $493,500
Whitehouse Road $120,000
Whitehouse Road $144,000
Wheeler Road $234,000
Jackson Highway $171,500
Source: Washington County
None of Thursday’s discussions were on the public agenda or discussed at the committee level.
Early estimates to replace those bridges total just less than $5 million. Edwards said the effort was to make Quorum Court members aware of pending discussions at the committee level about long-term plans.
“I don’t know what to think,” Clark said. “We haven’t dealt with bridges much for four years on the Quorum Court. Now all of a sudden we have a list.”
The county is responsible for maintaining bridges outside the city limits.
County crews are in the midst of replacing a bridge on Mally Wagnon Road east of Fayetteville. The county replaced the famed Tilly Willy bridge on Wilson Hollow Road last year.
Edwards said any bridge construction, if approved by the Quorum Court, wouldn’t happen until crews finish the Mally Wagnon Road bridge.
The nine bridges are within the districts of four Quorum Court members.
Three bridges fall within Harbison’s district that covers most of the south central area of the county. Two bridges are on the border between Harbison’s and Justice of the Peace Butch Pond’s district to the east along Whitehouse Road.
“It seemed like we had a lot of county projects come up like the parking deck falling in and we needed a courts building. We needed a coroner’s building and renovations to the historic courthouse,” Harbison said last week. “It’s time for us to look at bridges and roads of the county.”
Another three bridges are in Justice of the Peace Ron Aman’s district covering southwestern parts of the county. Justice of the Peace Rick Cochran’s district has one bridge just outside Fayetteville’s western boundary.
“I would ask if there are any grants that we can get for these bridges and go from there,” said Justice of the Peace Rex Bailey.
Bailey, Clark and Edwards said they would work to seek outside funding, such as state or federal grants, to replace the bridges before dipping into the county’s taxpayer dollars.
Clark reported last week the county sits on more than $10 million in reserve. Edwards said she expects that amount to increase a few more million when the county closes its 2012 books and officials return unspent cash.
“We need to try to send some of that money back to the taxpayer,” Edwards said. “What better way to do that than build bridges and roads. Better roads builds the economy.”
Before the Finance and Budget Committee begin discussing money, the proposals will be reviewed by the Public Works Committee meeting at 5:30 p.m. April 1 at the Judicial Annex building at the corner of College Avenue and Spring Street.
Bailey said he wasn’t against giving county residents an opportunity to request road and bridge improvements.
“I’m troubled that it came up all of a sudden when we were told no big-ticket items would be here this year,” he said.
Edwards recalls a different version about discussions of large projects last year. It’s necessary to keep an eye on long-term projects to improve the county’s infrastructure.
“I have no big ticket items as far as building buildings,” she said.