The Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors on Monday is expected to award contracts to the lowest and best bidders for two large summer projects.

Bids for a $1.1 million bridge replacement project on Dale Drive and for a county-wide asphalt resurfacing project were set to be opened Friday.

In a work session Thursday, Richmond Alexander of Engineering Plus, an engineering firm that serves as the county engineer, said both projects saw a good amount of interest from contractors, and he was optimistic the county would see some competitive bids.

“I feel confident we’ll get at least three bids,” he said, speaking about the paving project.

Road Manager Rush Mayatt said supervisors might want to brace for sticker shock as asphalt prices continue to rise. Currently, he said, asphalt is running about $200 per ton for laid and $125 per ton for just the material itself.

“Asphalt prices are just through the roof,” he said.

Alexander said a bid at $200 per ton in today’s market should be accepted quickly as it could easily be even higher.

“They ought to just get a gun and rob us,” Supervisor Joe Norwood said, adding asphalt was $29 a ton when he was first elected more than 20 years ago.

Murphy Road

A closed bridge on Murphy Road is also causing headaches for county supervisors. The bridge, which was closed in October 2022, forced garbage trucks heading to Pine Ridge Landfill on Murphy Road to reroute through residential areas.

Supervisors Kyle Rutledge of District 5 and Wayman Newell, who represents District 2, both said they received complaints about the trucks and wanted an update on where the bridge project stood.

Mayatt said the county was running into a familiar issue with Murphy Road in that the neighboring landowners were enjoying the piece and quiet and were not in a hurry to have the bridge reopened.

“Bridge replacements and right-of-way acquisition are really tough on a bridge that’s closed down because usually adjacent landowners like the fact that the bridge is closed,” he said. “This situation is none different.”

While the county has talked with neighboring landowners on multiple occasions, Mayatt said progress had been slow. His suggestion is to have the needed rights-of-way appraised and offer the landowners a fair market value for the property.

“We need to go ahead and have that done,” he said.

The rest of the project is ready, and acquiring the rights-of-way is the last step keeping the project from moving forward.

Arkadelphia Road

County road crews are also looking at potential work at the intersection of Arkadelphia Road and Highway 493.

Alexander said he had been contacted by the pastor of Arkadelphia Church, which sits near the intersection, about vehicles failing to stop and driving dangerously. Although technically under the jurisdiction of the Mississippi Department of Transportation, he said he would bring it to the Board of Supervisors to review.

Mayatt said he was familiar with that intersection and agreed it was not safe. He said he would look at it and see if there was something the county could do, such as install rumble strips or a flashing light alerting motorists of the intersection.

“I’ll take a look at it,” he said. “We can do something.”