Rod and Sherry Hess addressed the Marshall County Commissioners this week on the proposed bridge project on 11th Road in Plymouth.
They live near the Yellow River bridge on that road and have concerns about the affect on property values, their safety aspect in terms of the placement of a guardrail for the bridge, and what it will look like when it is done.
They received a certified notice of the project from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
They had specific questions about who decides on what bridge to work on, the life expectancy of the bridge, the bidding process and how bids are chosen, the timeline of the project, funding for the project, where this bridge fits on the bridge replacement list, the type of bridge to be installed, weight limits, the speed limit on the bridge, environmental samples and reports, property acquisition, proximity of the bridge to their property, and location of the bridge project.
Commission President Kevin Overmyer said that the federally-funded project is expected to begin in 2024 with bids to be taken in 2023. He noted that there is not an estimated cost of the project yet. He explained that the bridges in the county are prioritized after bridge inspections are done and that is when the county determines a replacement schedule.
The commissioners plan to meet with the Hess family to discuss it more with them and with USI Consultants.
