Commissioners accept bid notice for County Road 189 'Box Car' crossing; work to start in June and finish by August

The Mills County Commissioners Court accepted bid proposals for County Road 189 (locally known as the 'Box Car' crossing) and authorized the road project to be advertised on April 13. Commissioners described the work as more involved than a simple low-water crossing: proposals call for significant earthwork, removal of the existing structure and installation of pipe (transcript references to 30–36 inch pipes appeared during discussion), full road closure during construction, and possible temporary fencing to contain livestock while private fences are rebuilt.

Commissioner Parton said the bid package includes a preferred start date of June 1 with a firm latest start of June 15 and a target completion date of the end of August; the submission deadline for bids was set for May 8. Commissioners and staff discussed logistics including the need to secure private property access, potential impacts during deer season and the need for contractor coordination to clear debris and perform excavation.

Commissioner Parton moved to accept the bid proposals and the court voted unanimously to proceed with the bid notice and solicitation process.

Why it matters: County Road 189's crossing work will require a temporary road closure, will involve coordination with private landowners for fence and access work, and carries schedule constraints to complete before hunting season and winter weather complications.

Next steps: solicit bids by May 8, evaluate proposals, and select a contractor with an expected start window in June and an August completion target. The court recorded the acceptance of the bid notice with a unanimous vote.