By DANIEL HAMM

Special to The Press

Lowhill supervisors met in person Oct. 1 at the Weisenberg Township Municipal Building but the meeting was open to the public via Zoom due to the coronavirus pandemic.

An update to the plan to replace Bear Road Bridge and an estimate of what the new bridge would cost was a main point of discussion.

During his engineer comments, Ryan Christman provided the update regarding the bridge.

Christman had formulated a budget estimate on the bridge replacement.

Administrator Brian Carl reported the structure of the current bridge is undersized. The new bridge will need to be enlarged to allow water flow.

The cost of the new bridge will be higher as the replacement will be longer and wider.

Chairman Richard Hughes said the current estimated budget for the new bridge is around $483,000.

Hughes said funding will not delay the project.

Lowhill has township funds to continue to move forward with the project and to make sure the new bridge will be completed correctly and last a long time, but the board would like to find additional funding from the government.

Christman and the board discussed the possibility replacement and installation may take longer because they are taking suggestions to help prevent future scour, erosion of the stream bed surrounding the abutments of the support beams, which could lead to bridge failure.

Christman said they could go out to bid by late winter or early spring and then evaluate when to start the project.

He said once the board approves a contractor to start the project, the time frame for construction is about 120 days.

In other matters, Carl provided the board his administrator comments.

He conducted the safe travel speed limit study for Hollenbach Road.

Results found the safe speed limit for the road is 25 mph.

Hughes said he does not have a problem with enforcing that.

Carl will have the new speed limit on Hollenbach Road advertised for in November.

Under old business, the board discussed making a donation to the Sanctuary at Haafsville.

Hughes said the township is in good shape financially.

He then made a motion to donate $550 to the Sanctuary and board Treasurer Robb Werley seconded the motion.

Under new business, the board discussed the joint salt bid.

The winner of the bid was Eastern Salt Company.

Werley made a motion for Lowhill Township to accept the bid with Eastern Salt at $57.57 per ton. Hughes seconded the motion.