Even while Lincoln County supervisors continue improving roads and bridges this year, they’re working on the 2020 list to be presented as soon as funds are available.

County engineer Ryan Holmes told the board recently he wants to ride the districts with each supervisor to look at every mile of road.

“If y’all have some time, let me know, and we’ll set it up,” Holmes said.

Like the others on the board, District 3 Supervisor Nolan Williamson has an ever-growing list that outweighs the state aid funds he’ll receive to fix them.

“As far as I’m concerned, what ain’t on the list this year, add the rest to it,” Williamson told Holmes.

“Unfortunately, we’ll run out of money again so we’ve got to pick and choose,” Holmes said.

The engineer wants to get ahead of the other 81 counties in the state when the window of opportunity opens at the first of the year.

“My goal is to have a program and a set of plans that are done that we can mail to state aid that day, whenever it is,” he said.

Once projects are approved by Mississippi Department of Transportation, the county can advertise the jobs.

“It will be a continuous project,” he said. “The one we’ve got going on now and the new one.”

Holmes also wants to make a four-year plan for state aid funds.

“We do need to sit down and kind of start planning that out as quick as we can jump on it,” he said.

District 4 Supervisor Eddie Brown asked about Local System Bridge Replacement Program funds.

“We do need to encourage all of our senators and representatives to be sure and try to fund LSVP,” Brown said.

“We do,” Holmes agreed.

Holmes gave an update on current projects to the four supervisors present. Board President Jerry Wilson, District 1, was absent from the Nov. 4 meeting.

The projects — all state funded — come from LSBP and the Emergency Road and Bridge Repair Fund. The ERBR Fund was created by the Mississippi Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2018, which was signed into law during the 2018 Special Legislative Session. It authorized issuance of up to $250 million in bonds to repair public roads and bridges in the state.

Current LSBP and ERBR projects and their status include:

• LSBP Appaloosa Lane and Palomino Loop — Project complete, just waiting on grass.

• LSBP Cotten Lane — Punch list complete, closeout in progress.

• LSBP Mt. Pleasant Road — Closeout in progress

• ERBR-LSBP Summers Lane — Waiting on fence and grass to grow.  Pavement pending.       

• LSBP Rollins Drive — Earthwork in progress.

• LSBP Allen Road — Ready to bid.

• LSBP Wakefield Lane — Office review plans complete. Right of way sent to county attorney Bob Allen.

• LSBP Beachnut Trail — Ready to bid.

• ERBR Lott Smith Road Bridge — Construction started.

• ERBR Arlington Road — Plans are 50 percent complete, environmental and utilities in progress.

• ERBR Maple Lane — Plans are 50 complete, environmental and utilities in progress.

• ERBR Mt. Olive Road — Waiting on memorandum of understanding from MDOT and an interlocal agreement.

•  State Aid Reseal Project — Countywide paving: Base repair and leveling starting in the next few weeks.