PATCH ROADWAY WITHOUT CLOOSING THE BRIDGE

With contractors having plenty of work in the heart of this construction season, the Missouri Department of Transportation is finding it difficult to spark interest in repaving the Mississippi River bridge at Cape Girardeau.

Twice the department has sought bids, and at each of those bid openings only one contractor, Occi Inc. of Fulton, submitted a bid.

Occi first bid $474,105 to completely repave the bridge floor, which the department initially wanted done. The highway commission deemed that bid too high and asked also for bids to spot pave the bridge. Occi then submitted a bid of $375,000 for spot paving.

The highway commission will meet Friday to decide whether to award a contract. The highway department's district engineer, Scott Meyer, has said another possibility is that the department won't award a contract and instead will do the spot paving itself.

One reason contractors might be hesitant to take on a complete repaving of the span is the fact that the work would have to be done at night when the bridge carries the least amount of traffic. That is because the equipment necessary for the repaving is so big that it can't work unless the bridge is shut down at night for a couple of weeks.

A lot of businesses and people who must cross the bridge aren't receptive to that idea. The highway department is aware of their concerns and has tried to find ways to get around it. It even has asked for the public's suggestions. Spot repairs could be done without closing the bridge.

With the opening of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge still three or four years away, the department must do what is necessary to keep the existing bridge in good condition. At the same time, major expenses should be avoided, unless of course the bridge's safety should become an issue, which it isn't.

If highway engineers believe a complete repaving of the bridge isn't necessary, then the spot paving should suffice until the new bridge is ready and the old bridge torn down. If Occi can do the spot paving without having the shut down the bridge, $375,000 seems a small price to pay to assure the flooring holds together as long as the bridge remains open.