Close to $2.5 million is expected to be spent to upgrade Lawrence County roads and bridges between now and the end of the year.

That was the estimate reported to the county commissioners from County Engineer David Lynd at the commission’s regular Thursday morning meeting.

The commissioners approved receiving and filing the report submitted in writing from Lynd.

That figure will cover work on 119 roads and more than 280 bridges. The two largest expenditures will be paving and bridge work on Big Paddy at the cost of just over a quarter-million and La Belle-Bartramville also at a cost of $250,000.

Next most expensive project will be paving and replacing of four bridges on Big Branch at a price tag of $230,000.

Commissioner Jason Stephens noted that that Bridge No. 2 on Big Branch is a main access for residents of the county driving to U.S. 52 and Huntington, W.Va.

“That is going to be an important project,” Stephens said. “If you drive over it, you can see the crack in the bridge.”

Partial funding for that project is expected from a grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission. Starting date will be after July 1 with completion mandated by Aug. 15.

“This is a main artery from the county in,” Stephens said. “It is a necessary inconvenience.”

Commissioners approved advertising for bids for that bridge replacement along with replacing the Bridge No. 1 on Perry Township Road 1186, also known as Winfield Drive. That project is expected to take from five to six months.

Other projects include old State Route 7, Burlington Macedonia, Venisonham-Camp Branch, Wolf Creek, Ben Howell, McKinney Creek, Slab Fork, Buckhorn-Superior, Getaway-Big Branch, Scottown-Lectra and Little Storms Creek.