Commission signs off on new bridge

Great River Associates engineer Lindsey Chaffin explains paperwork to the Vernon County Commissioners Tuesday. Great River Associates sent paperwork to the commission as part of finalizing work on a bridge project in southeast Vernon County. Nicole Garner/Daily Mail

Nevada Daily Mail

Vernon County Commissioners signed closeout paperwork Tuesday for a bridge project in Montevallo.

Lindsey Chaffin, an engineer with Great River Associates, visited the commission to supply the final paperwork. Chaffin explained the documents, which required the commission's signatures, showed that all inspections and construction had been completed.

Chaffin said a final inspection of the bridge, located in the southeast corner of the county over Wilkey Creek, took place May 27. The bridge replacement was set to be completed by mid-June, and Chaffin said construction was completed earlier than expected.

Presiding Commis-sioner Bonnie McCord said the bridge was the first project the county has completed with Great River Associates. She said the commission has been pleased with the engineering firm's work.

"I think performance and construction was above my expectations," she said.

Chapman told commissioners that this project was the first Great River had worked on with Boone Construction, and that the engineering company was pleased with the work.

Chaffin told commissioners that bridge over Wilkey Creek was the first Great River Associates had completed with Boone Construction, and that firm had a good experience with the company. Boone Construction has bid on other bridge projects in Vernon County, and will be replacing a bridge in Harrison Township.

Final paperwork signed by the commission Tuesday must still be stamped by MoDOT. Commissioner Neal Gerster told the commission, MoDOT and engineers on the project would host a ribbon cutting ceremony soon before transferring responsibility of the new bridge to the county.

In May, project consultant Jason Sivils told the commission that the bridge project came in under cost, saving nearly $3,000 of the projected $222,300. The entire replacement comes at no cost to the county because of Soft-Match credits, a federal program that allows counties to receive credit for funds spent on other bridge projects.

MoDOT condemned the bridge nearly two years ago because of settling and sinking issues. The new bridge spans 74 feet and accommodates two lanes of traffic.