NAHUNTA — County Engineer Ben Pierce updated Brantley County commissioners on the progress of Little Buffalo Creek Ridge Replacement Project during the monthly work session Tuesday.
Pierce, of GWES, LLC (Georgia Water & Environmental Services) in Brunswick, provided commissioners with a one-page summary of the proposed work plan, including the site plan and the proposal for county consideration and approval during the August 4 packed meeting inside the Commissioner’s Office meeting room.
The project, with a construction time frame of eight to 15 months, involves replacing the existing Little Buffalo Creek Bridge with a grant of up to $600,000 from the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank (GTIB).
“That time frame could go down as low as maybe 10 to 12 months,” Pierce said. “It could be longer if you’re looking at a much longer span. Right now, we’re targeting a three-span bridge. Right now the time frame is eight to 15 months.” Pierce explained how the GTIB grant would be used.
“It is a grant to complete the preliminary and final engineering phases of the replacement of the existing Little Buffalo Creek Bridge,” Pierce said of the GTIB funding.
Pierce
“Over the next two years, the project team will evaluate replacement alternatives, complete engineering design, obtain environmental permits, acquire necessary right of way to prepare final construction documents. Once that’s completed, construction activities are expected to begin somewhere in the neighborhood of spring of 2028.
“I’ll just tell you, to have $600,000 given to the county for this phase to design a bridge is absolutely tremendous. It’s something that you don’t you hardly ever see.”
The construction phase is expected to cost between $3 million and $4 million, depending on the bridge’s length and type, according to Pierce.
“Looking at the concept development for most of the remainder of this year through December,” said Pierce, “the preliminary engineering phase is about a 60% design level over the course from January to the springtime of 2027.”
Pierce stated once the process reaches the point where the preliminary engineering phases have reached at least a substantial completion of what the property impacts are going to be and what the mitigation impacts may be are completed, the project will move into a final design and bid document phase. The project will then be ready to move into construction.
He told commissioners the next steps include finalizing the grant agreement with GTIB, selecting the design consultant, and issuing a notice to proceed with the construction.
Pierce said he is hopeful the county might receive more LRA (Local Rural Road assistance) money. He referenced the funding to being a LMIG (Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant) supplement.
“Every government in Georgia has received funding over three cycles thus far,” stated Pierce. “Generally, that’s in the neighborhood of $800,000-$900,000 with the 10% match. If that continues into a fourth, fifth, and just depending on how that cycle runs, those programs, that funding source could be available for this bridge replacement and construction dollars as well.”
Pierce moved on to the ongoing resurfacing operations on Knox Road and Central Avenue, including restriping, centerline striping, and pavement work.
“What you’re seeing out there now is temporary,” he said. “We have permanent striping that’s planning to be completed by the end of this month. that includes stop bars on the side roads that are getting a little bit of pavement on it. What you’ve seen so far is just some shoulder work. All of the main line and side road paving has been completed.”
Central Avenue is in the second phase of resurfacing consisting of a 3.8 point nine distance from the county line down to just shy of Bennett Road.
“We’re going to expand the road from nine feet to 10 feet,” said Pierce. “We’re also looking at a LB 2027 grant so we could target the second half of Central Avenue.”
He added the his engineering firm is looking at another possible grant GEFA ((Georgia Environmental Finance Authority) of up to $150,000.
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