The long process of repairing the historic Old Richardsville Road bridge took a step forward Friday morning.

Warren County Fiscal Court approved a motion to advertise a Request for Proposals for engineering work on the county-maintained bridge that spans the Barren River.

Warren County Public Works Director Josh Moore said soliciting engineering documents is the first step in a process to repair the bridge that dates to the 19th century and has been closed to traffic since being found structurally deficient in March by a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet inspector.

“We’re working on an RFP that will be sent out to pre-qualified engineers that have expertise in bridge design and repair,” Moore said. “We’ll be asking for a full set of engineering plans that can be used to repair the bridge.”

Because he hopes to apply for funding through the KYTC’s emergency road fund, Moore said he is sticking with pre-qualified engineers and will stick with pre-qualified contractors for construction work on the bridge.

“If we’re going to apply for financial assistance, we need to follow (KYTC) protocols,” Moore said. “It has slowed the process down, but I feel strongly that we’ll get a thorough fix.”

Moore said the process of getting engineering plans could take several weeks. Next will come a search for funding and bids from contractors. Moore said he hopes the engineer and contractor will work with the Iowa-based nonprofit Workin’ Bridges, which has already inspected the bridge under an $8,000 contract with the county.

Workin’ Bridges, which specializes in “bowstring” bridges like the Old Richardsville Road bridge, has analyzed more than 30 bridge restorations and either started or completed construction on seven projects.

Such expertise is needed, said Fifth District Magistrate Mark Young, because of the unique nature of the one-lane bridge that is on the National Register of Historic Places.

“This is a special situation,” Young said. “We’re dealing with something that’s out of the ordinary. It has been a difficult job to find someone to do this work and meet state requirements.”

Likewise, Warren County Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon said it’s important to get a thorough repair on the bridge that was condemned back in the 1980s and restored by the late David Garvin.

“We don’t want to fix it for one year or five years,” Buchanon said. “We want to fix it for the long term.”

In other action Friday, the fiscal court magistrates approved an interlocal agreement with Simpson County that will allow the Plano Volunteer Fire Department to become the primary responder for a portion of Simpson County that is within a five-mile radius of the Plano fire station.

The agreement will allow the Plano fire department to collect annual dues of $50 from approximately 113 homes that fall within that five-mile radius. Those homeowners will benefit from a better Insurance Services Office rating that should lower their insurance rates.

“It will help Plano financially, and it will allow our residents in that area to get a huge decrease in their insurance,” said Leslie Goodrum, chief of the Franklin-Simpson Fire Rescue Department.

The agreement is similar to one entered into earlier this year that allows the Woodburn Volunteer Fire Department to be the primary responder for a section of Simpson County within five miles of its station.

Magistrates also approved a two-year partnership agreement between the county parks and recreation department and Warren County Public Schools that allows the parks department to use school gymnasiums and sports fields for youth activities.

County Parks and Recreation Director Chris Kummer said the agreement is similar to the arrangement that has been in place since 1981. He said about half of the 41 ballfields utilized by the parks department for youth sports are located at county schools.

“If we had to build another 20 fields, it would cost millions,” Kummer said.

Warren County Public Schools Chief Financial Officer Chris McIntyre said the agreement helps the schools as well.

“The biggest benefit is to our kids and families,” he said. “The parks department is able to offer far more activities for the children than we could on our own.”

Among the rezoning applications approved Friday was the second and final reading of an ordinance rezoning 27.3 acres on Hunts Lane near Cemetery Road. John Huggins and Kelly Arnold, partners in H & A Development LLC, plan to develop the property into as many as 25 single-family residential lots.