Wednesday, September 29, 1999
I-71/75 bids to reopen
Process may delay start date
BY SUSAN VELA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ERLANGER — With only one construction bid offered for a new Interstate 71/75 repaving project, state officials say they'll reopen the bidding process on Nov. 19, possibly delaying the start-up date.
The three-member awards committee for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet decided Tuesday that it wanted more bids than the one received from Central Rock Mineral Co. in Lexington. That bid was for $33 million — $3 million more than the state's estimated cost.
A transportation spokeswoman said the awards committee was uncomfortable with just one bid for such a large, complicated project that will include repaving ramps that connect I-275 and I-75/71, and redesigning the bridge deck over Donaldson Road.
When state transportation officials announced the project Monday, they said work would begin in November, after the completion of the $21 million, S-curve reconstruction project, and continue through August 2001.
Roadwork on southbound lanes was to begin in 2000; on northbound lanes, in 2001. For the new project, three lanes in both directions are supposed to remain open at all times, but drivers will have a hard time bypassing the roadwork because both I-71/75 and I-275 are involved.
But the decision to rebid could skew those time lines.
“We're just going to have to wait until Nov. 19,” said transportation spokeswoman Erin Grogan.
“All I can tell you is that it's a difficult project.”
Within a week of the rebidding, the awards committee could make a recommendation to award the contract. The state transportation secretary will have to approve that choice.
Ms. Grogan said the contractor then would have to sit down with state engineers to agree on time lines.
By then, the weather could come into play, she acknowledged.
“We'll have to wait and see,” she said.
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