Highway 34/72 hits roadblock with high bids

~ The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission did not award a contract for phase two.

High costs of asphalt caused the Missouri Department of Transportation to hit a roadblock with the Highway 34/72 improvement project in Jackson.

On Wednesday, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission decided not to award a contract for the second phase of a three-phase widening project that will expand Highway 34/72 from two lanes to four.

MoDOT estimated phase two, which is to run from County Road 335 to the intersection at Highway 34 and 72, to cost more than $5.2 million. The lowest bid, from Penzel Construction Co. of Jackson, was more than $7.9 million.

High bids were the reason the contract was not awarded, said Eric Krapf, MoDOT project manager.

"I believe the high bids were due to the high price of asphalt," he said. "Everyone knows how high gas and petroleum prices have gone up. That impacted the asphalt prices as well."

Asphalt is the paving material used for the widening and resurfacing of the road. Phase 2 of the project also includes adding signals, curb and gutters and storm sewers to the road.

Krapf said asphalt costs had affected several of MoDOT's projects recently but felt the bid for this phase of the project was too much.

"We will revisit the project to see if there are changes that can be made to attract more contractors and lower bids," Krapf said. "We might decide to change something in the pavement design."

Phase 1 is currently under construction. It begins at the intersection of Highway 34 and West Main Street and ends at County Road 335 and should be completed this winter.

Krapf said MoDOT estimated phase 2 would be complete by spring 2007.

"That is what we had essentially hoped for," he said. "But now that depends how long it takes to get a new plan and get new bids. It shouldn't be too far off the estimated date."

Phase 3, which is 1.5 miles east of the Highway 34/72 intersection, is planned for fiscal year 2008.

"We are dedicated to continuing the upgrade of Highway 34/72 in Jackson to four lanes," Krapf said. "But we are also dedicated to using taxpayer dollars as judiciously as possible."

jfreeze@semissourian.com