Bolivar County officials are having to work with every level of government to get construction rolling on the SAFETEA-LU project.

Though commonly called SAFETEA-LU, the act is officially named the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act--a Legacy for Users.

It is a federally funded program that was signed into law for a third incarnation in 2005 by President George W. Bush. It’s specifically designed to provide funding for transportation and road upgrades.

County Engineer Bob Eley has been working with officials from six municipalities in the county on the project.

Now, he will also be working with state employees to finalize plans.

“We’re working with the state on the TEA-LU project,” Eley told the supervisors at Monday’s meeting. “Since this is being treated as a state aid project, they are requiring us to follow their standards.”

Bolivar County received a total of $1.4 million from SAFETEA-LU.

However, that total sum is to be shared between the six municipalities that received project approval.

Mound Bayou, Benoit, Shaw, Beulah, Gunnison and Pace, as the six municipalities, were required to come up with a 20 percent match for the $1.4 million.

“The bad news is that the money probably won’t spread as far,” Eley explained to the board. “The good news is that it will be done right.”

In May 2009, it seemed as though the SAFETEA-LU projects throughout the county were nearing construction.

However, the municipal elections held that June resulted in several brand new boards.

With the changes in municipal leadership came a slow down on the project.

“With TEA-LU some of the municipalities have changed mayors,” Eley explained to the board in June. “I'm trying to get them to speed up their programs for your approval at the next meeting.”

County officials have spent the better part of the last year working with the six municipalities to come up with an arrangement for the 20 percent match and a plan of action for construction.

Each municipality put up a small portion of the 20 percent match and the county took out a loan for approximately $200,000 to cover the rest.

All of the contracts have been signed and each of the municipal boards has submitted the meeting minutes that involve SAFETEA-LU to the board of supervisors.

Now, state aid officials will be going over the drafted plans to ensure that they are up to standards.

“It will be late this year at best before we can start advertising for bids,” said Eley.