(File photo) Frontier Local Economic Development Association Secretary Mike Webber stops to look over the closed Hune Covered Bridge in Lawrence Township in 2020.

The Hune Covered Bridge rehabilitation project will go back out to bid due to the cost and the complexity of the project itself.

Washington County Engineer Roger Wright told county commissioners Thursday that the project only had one bidder, The Righter Company, whose $2,477,887 bid exceeded the engineer’s estimate by more than $600,000.

Ohio revised code restricts bids from being awarded if they exceed estimates by more than 10% of cost.

“The reason why it’s so expensive is it’s extremely difficult,” said Wright. “It’s right next to the Wayne National Forest and campgrounds … there’s all kinds of environmental restraints and constraints and timelines and things that dictate the work and when it can happen.”

Wright said extensive repairs need to be made to the foundation of the bridge, which is a complicated and expensive process.

“It is a covered bridge, so we’re not going to have traffic back on and it’s going to be a tourism piece,” he said. “Honestly, our budget doesn’t really have a whole lot of money for those sorts of things.”

Wright said the public has expressed a desire to keep the bridge due to its historic value but there are many restrictions the engineering department has to overcome to make that happen. Even if they left the bridge as it is now and it eventually fell and washed downstream, the department would be financially responsible for cleaning it up.

“We’re going to spend a lot of money for something that is historical, but I just don’t have the money in my budget for that, so we’re looking and actively seeking more additional funds,” Wright said.

Commissioner Charlie Schilling said there is a lot to weigh with taxpayer money and a historical structure.

“Obviously from the historical perspective, it’s an important piece,” he said. “Those are hard decisions to make.”

Washington County Sheriff Mark Warden provided updates on the citizens academy program which will conclude Wednesday.

The program provides residents with information about standard sheriff responsibilities and procedures. The classes are taught by sheriff’s office administrators and deputies and include demonstrations and discussions.

“It’s been a huge success with our citizens, and they saw the sheriff’s office and everything they do,” said Warden.

Based on this success, he said there will be more citizens academy programs in the late summer and early fall.

Warden said to check out the sheriff’s department website and social media to stay updated on information.