Transportation commission to consider bids for Route W resurfacing project

The federal stimulus project to widen and resurface four miles of Route W in Cape Girardeau County should be back on track after the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission meets Wednesday in Sikeston, Mo.

The commission rejected two bids for the project in July. Both bids, from ASA Asphalt Inc. of Advance, Mo., and Apex Paving Co. of Cape Girardeau, were far in excess of the $2.2 million budgeted for the work. ASA Asphalt bid $3.5 million, while Apex Paving bid $2.8 million.

The contract has been reworked to give contractors an extra 12 months to complete the project, said Nicole Thieret, community relations manager for the District 10 office of the Missouri Department of Transportation. Contractors had bid high, they told the Southeast Missourian in July, because completing the work by the end of this year would mean paying overtime and possibly dealing with weather delays.

Three bids will be considered Wednesday, all below the July bids. Apex Paving Co. again bid, and offered the lowest price at $2.34 million. Pace Construction Co. LLC of St. Louis is seeking $2.39 million to do the work, while G&M Concrete & Asphalt Co. Inc. of Troy, Mo., bid $2.68 million.

The project will begin at Lexington Avenue and extend to the intersection with the recently completed LaSalle Avenue. The project was chosen for funding with Missouri's share of federal stimulus funding because of higher traffic counts in recent years and expected growth due to the new route into Jackson provided by the completion of LaSalle Avenue.

Shoulders with rumble strips will be added as will centerline rumble strips. The intersections with Cape Girardeau County Road 620 and Perryville Road will be widened and islands will be added.

rkeller@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent addresses:

Route W, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

501 Campanella Drive, Sikeston, Mo.