Fayette Commission OK’s $300K to replace McIntosh Rd. bridge over Flint River

With the McIntosh Road bridge over the Flint River needing significant repairs, the Fayette County Commission Thursday committed to spending $300,000 on preliminary engineering for the project.

The county is also expected to kick in an estimated $672,000 in construction and right of way purchasing, with an additional $2.24 million in federal funds making up the rest of the tab. The county’s portion will come from revenues from the 2003 transportation sales tax.

The road connects the rural area around Brooks in south Fayette County with Spalding County. Fayette County officials are hoping to convince their Spalding counterparts to participate in the funding for the project, and commissioners Steve Brown and Lee Hearn are scheduled to make that pitch at the June 4 Spalding County Commission meeting.

The bridge has such a low rating that fire trucks can no longer drive on it, county officials have said. It is safe for school buses to go on the bridge if necessary, officials said.

On a recent sufficiency examination, the bridge scored a nine out of a possible 100 points, officials said.

The project is anticipated to take place in 2014 with the federal funding, but Fayette County has to complete design and other preliminary environmental work in advance.