Almost a year after being closed, work is beginning to replace the Holmes Creek Road Bridge over Fall Creek.
During Monday night’s City Council meeting, Mayor Jimmy Poss said the contractor has cleared the site and construction should start by next week. “They’ve got all the trees cut and the way I understand it probably next week they will be taking that bridge out,” he said.
Twin K. Construction of Helenwood, Tennessee was awarded the bid last month to build the new bridge. City officials are hoping the project will be completed over the winter or by spring.
Twin K’s bid of $687,791 was the lowest of the five bids submitted and was recommended for approval by the city’s engineer for the project, Professional Engineering Services in Sparta. In addition to the construction bid, other added costs including engineering, design, and inspection fees, geotechnical exploration, right of way, temporary construction easement, asbestos study, and permits, put the total costs at $778,655.
The project is being funded under the state’s Bridge Grant Program. The matching cost to the city is going to be $196,625
The bridge, at the bottom of town hill behind Love-Cantrell Funeral Home, has been closed since October 30, 2015
The state forced the City of Smithville to close the bridge due to a Tennessee Department of Transportation Evaluation Report which detailed various bridge deficiencies making it potentially unsafe.
Meanwhile, City Administrator Hunter Hendrixson reported Monday night that the manhole replacement project on West Main Street was recently completed and that the actual cost was under budget. “We originally awarded the contract to Flow- Line for $227,000 but it came in at $62,000 under budget. It will only cost the city about $165,000. They didn’t have to do as much excavating as they had anticipated,” said Hendrixson.
Street paving in the area of the manhole work on West Main should begin soon. “According to the engineers we have to allow time for settlement with those manholes where it went in but it will be paved,” added Hendrixson.
Paving and striping is also completed around the public square. The city still has funds budgeted this year to pave several other city streets.
Police Chief Mark Collins reported to the Mayor and Aldermen that the department has been approved for a Governors Highway Safety Office Grant. “Sergeant Travis Bryant has been working hard. We were approved for another GHSO grant. Last year it was for $5,000 and this year it is for $10,000. This grant money will be used for equipment and overtime during the summer months when we need it the most,” said Chief Collins.
The aldermen also approved Chief Collins’ request to allocate funds to purchase a patrol car to replace a 2007 Ford Crown Victoria with 130,000 miles which has been taken out of service due to transmission problems.
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