DeSoto County commits $4 million for new bridges

The DeSoto County Board of Supervisors voted to commit up to $4 million Monday as the county's share of the costs for two bridges over Interstate 269.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation estimated the costs for the bridges at Craft Road and Red Banks Road at $4 million each.

That's the estimated cost for building the bridges with five lanes instead of the three lanes MDOT's initial plans called for.

"At that cost, it's a bargain," Board President Tommy Lewis said. "There's no telling what those bridges would cost in 10 to 15 years from now."

County Administrator Michael Garriga said MDOT officials have agreed to build a five-lane bridge at the I-269 crossing of Getwell Road, but he said traffic volume at the Craft and Red Banks crossings do not meet MDOT standards for the wider bridges.

However, Supervisor Jessie L. Medlin predicted considerable growth in the area when the Interstate is built.

"Once that highway goes in, there will be enough development around it that we will need the five-lane road," he said.

Supervisor Allen Latimer did not dispute the need for the wider bridges, but he asked, "Where are we going to get $4 million?"

Supervisor Bill Russell said the county could issue a $4 million construction bond "without increasing our tax rate. I don't know if we could do $15 million, but we could do $4 million.

"I just believe we have to be very careful."

Garriga said MDOT scheduling shows two years needed for rights of way acquisition and an additional two years for drainage, grading and dirt work.

He said if that schedule holds, the county might not need to produce the $4 million for the bridges until 2012.

But he said Richard Allen, the district engineer for MDOT's Batesville district, said he would need to hear the county's decision this week.

Medlin moved to commit up to $4 million to be available in 2012. Supervisors Gene Thach, Lewis, Medlin and Russell voted in favor. Latimer voted against.

Meanwhile, questions about a five-lane bridge for the Tchulahoma Road crossing would have to be decided by Hernando, Garriga said.

"After the most recent annexation by Hernando, the northern part of the bridge is in the city and the south part is in the county," he said.

"We might work with the city, but the bridge improvement would be up to city officials," he said.