County bridges to be replaced in 2003

By By Thomas Tingle
Record Managing Editor
Two bridges located on Blake Bottom Road near Indian Creek Road in northwest Madison County are scheduled for replacement in 2003, while another bridge on Mt. Zion Road will be replaced soon.
Doyle Bradley, assistant county engineer for Madison County, said the one of the bridges, located between Indian Creek Road and Research Park Blvd. will be replaced as early as next summer. The other bridge, located near the Blake Bottom Road and Jeff Road intersection, could be replaced sooner.
"We expect to let to contract on the first bridge by March or April of 2003. That will depend on the acquisition of property and funding," Bradley said. "It is expected to cost between $100,000 to $150,000 to replace the bridge between Indian Creek Road and Research Park Blvd."
District 4 Commissioner Dale Strong said the Blake Bottom Road bridge replacement projects are on the state's bridge replacement agenda and the Mt. Zion Road bridge, located between Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Monrovia Elementary School will be replaced soon.
Federal funds will account for 80 percent of the cost to replace the bridge between Indian Creek Road and Research Park Blvd. with the remaining 20 percent coming from the county. It will take as long as three months to replace the bridge once construction begins.
Bradley said the bridge would be wider than the bridge that now exists and was built in 1940. He said even though bridges similar to the existing bridge can last as long as 75 to 100 years, the volume of traffic that travels over the bridge has warranted its replacement.
Bradley said as many as 4,000 cars travel Blake Bottom Road daily.
Details are nearly complete on the bridge replacement project near Blake Bottom Road and Jeff Road. Bradley said the two-lane bridge will were wider than the existing bridge and will cost between $200,000 to $300,000 to replace.
Bond money will account for 100 percent of the cost to replace the bridge as part of Amendment 1 that has freed funds for bridge replacement projects. It too will take as long as three months to replace the bridge once construction begins.