Bridges in Oktibbeha County Declared Unsafe: Community on Alert!
Oktibbeha County is facing a pressing issue with its aging infrastructure, as officials have declared six bridges, including the Polly Bell Road bridge, to be in very unsafe condition. Residents are understandably concerned as the threat of potential accidents looms over these critical passageways.
Bridge Closures and Repairs on the Horizon
Currently, the Polly Bell Road bridge is closed as it undergoes urgent repairs. Road Manager Victor Collins informed the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors during their recent meeting that other bridges, such as those on Harpole Road, Bethel Road, South Ridge Road, Old West Point Road, and Wade Road, are also in dire need of attention. The situation on Polly Bell Road is particularly alarming; erosion has compromised the retaining wall, which is now losing the very dirt that supports it. This degradation has raised red flags among officials.
“There’s a hole on top, and underneath, the headwall is completely gone,” Board President Marvell Howard noted, emphasizing the urgency of the repairs. “It’s just a matter of time before all the material caves and somebody takes a nosedive.”
A Community Effort
The good news is that most of these bridges can be repaired in-house, utilizing county staff and materials already in storage. Collins stated that the county workforce will employ three-inch treated wooden boards—available in stock—to perform much of the necessary work. These boards are expected to last around 20 years. However, any additional materials required will need to be ordered using funds from the county’s road and bridge budget.
The plan is to close each bridge sequentially to ensure they are safe for community travel. Collins shared that work on the Polly Bell Road bridge is anticipated to wrap up by Thursday, with Harpole Road next on the list. This bridge repair will take about a week, primarily due to the deeper creek requiring additional materials and extensive digging for safety. Collins estimated that it will take between six to eight weeks for all bridge repairs to be completed.
More Than Meets the Eye
However, not all issues can be solved so easily. The bridge over Sun Creek is facing more severe challenges, with damage to its pylons that county crews cannot replace. To address this, officials will draft a request for proposals at their next meeting to solicit help.
Inspecting the Underlying Issues
As the repairs progress, the county is also conducting an inventory of all its bridges to check for additional maintenance needs. One major concern that arose during the board meeting was how these bridges could degrade so significantly if the county’s contracted engineer has been surveying them every two years. Howard voiced his concern, questioning, “Why are county workers finding these instead of the county engineer?”
County engineers are mandated to inspect bridges that are over twenty feet long or have multiple spans every two years. If any damage is found, inspections must increase to an annual basis until repairs are made. This raised eyebrows, especially since the Polly Bell Road bridge is around 30 feet long—well within the inspection requirements.
Moving Forward
Some damage may not have been flagged in standard surveys, highlighting that only major structural components like beams and columns are assessed. Other crucial elements, such as the headwall or road connections, often go unchecked. While it’s clear that the county has some work to do, residents can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that both the board and the engineering team are committed to ensuring that bridges are safe for daily travel.
Bridges are critical to everyday travel, and maintaining these vital infrastructure pieces will undoubtedly keep the community moving and growing.
