City of Sulphur Springs, Hopkins County Discuss Potential Partnership To Meet Work Credit Match For Project
The desperately needed County Road 1180 bridge project has been moved up on Texas Department of Transportation’s project list for repairs years ahead of schedule.
The bridge in question crosses Birch Creek. The bridge is in just bad condition that when there is any appreciable rain, the eight families who live on the other side of the bridge aren’t able to cross it to leave their property, Precinct 1 Commissioner Mickey Barker explained.
“Some people in Precinct 1 when it rains heavily cannot get out. It would take a helicopter for them to get out,” Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom said.
The project hasn’t been on the TxDOT project list long enough to be considered for immediate work.
“I’ve gotten the project moved up,” Barker said. “They’re supposed to be on the TxDOT list for 10 years. It’s been moved up from 10 years.”
The Precinct 1 Commissioner said it’s his understanding that if all goes according to scheduled, contracts for the CR 1180 bridge repair could be let as early as the end of January of the next coming year.
In order to make the project happen, Hopkins County has to come up with a certain percent of Equivalent Matching Project funds. TxDOT allows counties and municipalities to count road work performed on other projects to count toward the fund match. In some instances, governmental bodies can partner to share credits.
“Any time the county does any kind of project, on culverts, bridges, etc… through TxDOT, they give us credit for larger project,” Barker said.
In this instance, Hopkins County has to come up with a $50,000 fund match.
Hopkins County Commissioners Court and Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell and Community Development Director Tory Niewiadomski met during a court work session late Monday morning to discuss a potential partnership that would help the county meet the required fund match for the CR 1180 bridge project.
“Right now, the City is not involved in the matching fund program. They do a lot of drainage projects that are very expensive,” Barker said. “It would completely cover it.”
A drainage project planned in the near future in the city portion of that cost could potentially be credited to Hopkins County to count toward the $50,000 bridge match. City officials discussed the potential of partnering and applying for that to count toward TxDoT projects.
While the city project has yet to begin, the city does have engineering information and cost estimates that could potentially be submitted to TxDOT so the county can receive enough credit for the $50,000 required match.
Barker said it would be a good opportunity for the city and county to work together to benefit local citizens.
“This would allow the city to help us and we’ll help them any way we can as well,” Newsom said. “It’s amazing to get moved up and for the city of Sulphur Springs to be willing to help with matching funds.”
