CAPE WOODS BID REJECTED

An exceptionally good construction economy might be a reason why the city twice has received high bids for a project at the Cape Woods Conservation Area.

Cape Girardeau received money from the Missouri Department of Conservation to build rest rooms, a parking lot, a pedestrian bridge and road access to the recreation trails in the woods.

The Cape Woods Conservation Area is on Mount Auburn Road near Quality Car Wash.

Two construction bids received in August 1999 were considerably higher than an engineer's cost estimate. City officials threw out the bids and opted to let bids again.

The second round of bids -- only one was received -- was opened by the city at its Nov. 20 meeting. That bid, $163,660.58 submitted by Nip Kelley Equipment, was 26 percent more than the engineer's estimate of $121,417.08.

Again, officials threw out the bid and will revise the scope of the project before accepting a new round of bids. Meanwhile the allocated money sits untouched and ready to be used for the project construction.

City Engineer Mark Lester said he is not sure why the bids continue to come in high but would guess that an abundance of other construction work may be a contributing factor.

"The times have been really good, construction-wise," he said. "Small projects such as these tend to cost a little more than bigger projects, and construction has been flat booked up."

Bid changes possible

Lester said city representatives met with the Department of Conservation officials last week. The next time bids are let, the city likely will change the way the request to contractors is designed.

For instance, he said, the parking lot may be bid as an additional item instead of lumped in with bids for the rest room construction.

"If we split it up, we may get a better price," he said.