Parke County to close Connolly Ford bridge, consider phased repairs at Portland Mills; $295,000 repair estimate cited

Parke County commissioners discussed multiple bridge issues, including closing the Connolly Ford bridge, the ongoing closure at Portland Mills and repair estimates for other structures.

S4 reported the Connolly Ford bridge will be closed and work was underway to coordinate closures with adjacent landowners. S4 said Portland Mills remains closed. For another listed bridge, S4 said the county received a bid from an excavating contractor with a figure of about $295,000 to complete the listed repairs.

Commissioner S3 urged getting a revised quote that omits roughing and siding so the county could split the project: open the bridge quickly with essential work and finish remaining cosmetic items the next fiscal year. "If we can cut it up, we can put the rest of it in the budget for next year," S3 said.

Officials noted some bridges have short detours or bypasses around them, while Connolly Ford will require a formal closure. Next steps include requesting revised quotes and evaluating phased repair options so high-traffic bridges can reopen as soon as feasible.

No binding contract award was recorded in the transcript; one contractor bid amount of $295,000 was discussed as an estimate.