County moves fast on roadwork
Supervisors discussed the work needed to build a construction road into the Project Poppy (Battery Plant) site in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park at the April 1 meeting of the board.
The road to be built for light cars and trucks, a 3,400 stretch of temporary road, that was to begin construction April 15, is going to take some extra work, according to county engineer Larry Britt.
He said construction workers building the road found a big garbage dump right in the middle of the road under construction. It turned out to be buried household garbage, concrete and other materials.
Yancey Construction removed 1,500 yards of material and then had to replace that hole with backfill at a price of $37,133, Britt said. Yancey’s contract has been extended to April 24, he said.
The soil on about 700 feet at the end of the road was found to be soft ground when proof rolling the area. Britt said about $50,000 of soil cement would solve that problem and the remaining 2,600 feet is sound.
“We need to get dry weather,” Britt said. “It would be a change order east end and a truck would go out of sight in a few spots.”
Britt thought about 12 inches of soil cement would be needed, but first the ground has to be dried out because it is too wet to work.
District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker asked, if the east end is worked, would workers be able to get from point A to point B without getting on the main road.
Britt said the soft areas would be disked to turn the soil for air to help dry the area out.
Britt asked for $126,921 as a first payment to the contractor, which would include the $50,000 change order. The board approved the measure.
The money for the construction is coming from the Mississippi Development Authority and the county will be reimbursed for the expenditure. A separate account will be set up to pay for the work.
The north end of the access road is likely to be built to three lanes.
Britt said Kimes and Stone asked for an additional $2.19 increase to pay for an increase in the cost of limestone.
The construction of two lanes has been approved at $697,216 to the contractor but if the road is built to three lanes, the owner will pay for the extra costs.
Britt said the three lanes come off Knox Road and the difference in cost will be $170,000.
Britt said if the owners want three lanes, a little overlay on that part of the road can be added.
This road for vehicles is 4,200 feet long.“We got a lot of projects to do,” Britt said. “There is a big pool of money, but finite. If they cause us to pay more for that (three lanes) they (the Battery Plant) has to pay for the extra. The second road is temporary. Once we know if there is two or three lanes, we have to have the second road ready by May 31.”
“We got a lot of projects to do,” Britt said. “There is a big pool of money, but finite. If they cause us to pay more for that (three lanes) they (the Battery Plant) has to pay for the extra. The second road is temporary. Once we know if there is two or three lanes, we have to have the second road ready by May 31.”
Justin Hall, executive director of the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority, discussed the need to review a deed on property that connects to the east side of Roxul between the Spec 12 and Amazon building.
Britt said he will inspect the property and, if there is a need to repair the road, it will be brought back before the board.
Britt recommended and the board approved a bid from G&C Supply Company for sign supplies. Custom Products Corporation was accepted as an alternate bid.
Britt presented two bids for soil cement. Phillip Construction was the lowest price for soil cement but highest for mixing at $139,273 per mile, while Kimes and Stone’s bid was north of $144,000 per mile. Phillips was awarded the contract.
A clearing project at Springs Industrial Park was awarded to Pace at $155,621.
CORRECTION - In an article “Supervisors place moratorium on new construction” that was published in Thursday, April 11, 2024, edition, as a correction is needed. The Board of Supervisors did not place a moratorium on new construction following a lengthy discussion of pausing new construction to revisit zoning ordinances.