Motorists can expect to be driving on the Armuchee Connector bridge across the Oostanaula River by June 2011.

The Floyd County Commission accepted on Tuesday the lowest of seven construction bids — $8.1 million from C.W. Matthews Contracting Co. Inc.

County Manager Kevin Poe said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is scheduled to issue a permit in the next two to three weeks, then a preconstruction meeting would be scheduled.

“We’ll be turning dirt in November and the project will take 19 months,” he told the board.

The 2.2 mile road will link Braves Boulevard at State Mutual Stadium to U.S. 27 at Old Summerville Road. A multipurpose trail lane for bicycles, pedestrians and horses is part of the design.

The 2006 special purpose, local option sales tax package contains $12 million for the project aimed at providing an alternative to Martha Berry Highway for travelers between Rome and points north.

The board also accepted an $88,700 bid from Rayburn Electric for a generator at the Floyd County Health Department. That was the second-lowest of 11 bids, Poe said, but Rayburn will install the equipment in 60 days compared to 120 days for the low-bidder.

“The Health Department’s getting to be more and more critical in our emergency preparedness plans,” he said.

“And it’s coming up on swine flu season. We don’t want them to lose power.”

The money will come from the approximately $700,000 still unspent in the 2003 SPLOST fund that paid for the facility’s construction.

In other action, the board:

 Agreed to transfer eight vacant parcels acquired through tax sales and forfeitures to the joint city-county Land Bank Authority. The agency will donate them to the Northwest Georgia Housing Authority for its HOPE IV East Rome revitalization project.

 Approved agricultural-residential zoning for a 20-acre tract at 196 Painter Road that clears the way for the Bennett family to offer a Haunted Trail Halloween walk during the month of October.

 Accepted bids for several previously budgeted items: four portable basketball goals for the new North Floyd Park recreation center; a skid steer loader for the recycling center; and a backhoe loader for the water department.

Click here to see the Armuchee Connector project profile and route map.

Click here to see a PDF detailing the East Rome revitalization project.