Supervisors tie up loose ends on projects as year wraps up


Thursday, December 13, 2007
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Supervisors tie up loose ends on projects as year wraps up

By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer

Road, bridge and roof repairs were discussed by supervisors as year 2007 winds down.

Marshall County supervisors voted to swap a project with the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) that will improve safety and traffic flow in the town of Byhalia.

County engineer Larry Britt proposed the swap at the first meeting of the board in December saying there was an agreement several years ago whereby Marshall County would take over maintenance of Yarbrough Loop in Red Banks (a state maintained road) and MDOT would take over maintenance of Highway 309 through the town of Byhalia and build turn lanes at the school.

“I think they want the county to commit to the swap,” Britt said.

The town of Byhalia brought the section of 309 in front of the school up to standards and added a layer of asphalt.

Supervisor Keith Taylor said traffic bottlenecks on 309 in front of Byhalia Middle School and the railroad track causes traffic to back up in the area also.

The agreement to add turnlanes would make the road safer for traffic, he said.

Several other projects were discussed including bridge replacement on Old Highway 7 South below Waterford and on O’Dell Road.

Britt said the gravel is down at the two bridges below Waterford but the LSBP program will not pay for overlay of the access ramps. He suggested the county maintain the area with gravel until next spring when money may be available from the state aid program fund to pave the ramps.

The ramps to the two bridges on O’Dell Road are ready for gravel, according to county road manager Larry Hall. The bridge builder has agreed to help patch up pot holes in the pavement on both sides of the bridges, he said. The county will likely wait until spring to overlay the approaches, allowing extra time for the gravel to settle and set up on the approaches.

Supervisors heard a request from a subdivision developer to designate a road at Farley Place Subdivision as a county road.

Britt said the developer had originally intended to put in a private road and make the community gated but has changed his mind.

Supervisors agreed to go look at the conditions and construction at the subdivision entrance road before considering taking over the road.

Taylor said the area is located in a flood plain and the county would have to address possible flooding if it assumed the road.

Turning to other business, Hall said several roofs are leaking in buildings owned by the county. He suggested the board bid all roof repairs out for the year in one bid. The county would supply the shingles and the contractor would apply them. Buildings that are leaking include the Byhalia Substation and the Zoning and Planning Commission building.

Hall told supervisors the bridge on Whitten Road will be taken out this month and rebuilt in January. The road will be blocked on both sides of the bridge while repair work is done.

County crews are finishing up details on state aid road projects and building a fuel station at the jail, Hall said.

Attorney Kent Smith reported that work on animal ordinances is ongoing with suggestions provided by George Kahrs and the sheriff. Clarification of definitions, penalties and issues are being added to the rough draft, now at 35 pages, he said.

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