Calhoun County flood related road repairs could top $2 million

CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Counties throughout WCBI’s viewing area are getting a better idea of the costs to repair roads and bridges damaged by recent floods.

Calhoun County EMA Director Randy Skinner has personally surveyed all 60 or so roads that had some damage from the heavy rains.

But every few days, Skinner returns to what is left of County Road 210.

“A hundred and fifty feet of the hillside of County Road 200 is now resting on County Road 210. It would be safe to say this landslide by far is something I’ve never witnessed in the state of Mississippi to my knowledge,” said Skinner.

Skinner and a team of engineers estimate it will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair County Road 210.

While damage was minor and has been repaired on most roads throughout the county, the price tag is high.

Skinner said all damage estimates will be turned into MEMA and FEMA.

“It has been thrown around, just this road slide and other affected roads in my area, just Calhoun County, ones that I’ve estimated, we’re going to be close to a million five, two million mark,” said Skinner.

If FEMA approves the request, the county can get reimbursed up to 75 percent of its road repair costs, the state will kick in twelve and a half percent and that’s why Skinner says it’s vital to have accurate estimates as quickly as possible.

“That’s so they can make their declaration, if there’s going to be one, which we truly hope there will be,” said Skinner.

The state wants initial damage estimates by March 19.

Skinner said there shouldn’t be any more issues with roads, as long there is not another extended rain.