Should be completed this fall

 

Repaving Big Branch Road outside Chesapeake is expected to begin this fall after the priority of the road was bumped up.

That change happened because the Lawrence County Commissioners and Union Township Trustees were able to make contributions to the required 20 percent match for the $518,000 paving project, according to county engineer Doug Cade.

Of that more than half-million dollars, $103,600 is the local match. The commission gave $25,000 toward that while Union trustees gave $5,000.

“This is true collaboration,” Cade told the county commission at its Thursday meeting. “A lot of vehicles go through there.”

The remainder of the local portion will come from the county’s part of the Motor Vehicle Gas Tax.

Cade also told the commission that the county is not eligible for FEMA assistance for landslide and bridge damage from heavy rains in early April.

“There has to be a specific event like a storm or tornado that is abnormal for them to consider federal assistance,” Cade said. “There also has to be at least $14 million in damage statewide. When they put all the counties’ assessments, there was less than $14 million.”

Those repair costs will have to be paid by the county now.

In other action the commission:

• Met with Ironton attorney Scott Evans on collective bargaining in executive session with no action taken;

• Proclaimed May as Older Americans Month;

• Approved change order for County Road 32 landslide for $1,381.80.