Contract not yet awarded for bridge project

FOLLANSBEE - An official said despite reports from other media, the West Virginia Department of Transportation hasn't awarded the contract for renovations to the Market Street Bridge.

Brent Walker, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said early today that a contractor is expected to be named later this week.

The department has received the following bids for the project: Ahern and Associates Inc. of South Charleston, $13.7 million; Vimas Painting Co. of Campbell, Ohio, $13.8 million; Orders Construction Co. of St. Albans, W.Va., $14.2 million; Brayman Construction Corp. of Saxonburg, Pa., $14.4 million; and Mosites Construction Co. of Pittsburgh, $16 million.

Walker said the bridge is tentatively slated to be closed from Jan. 4 to Nov. 11 next year and from March 14 to Oct. 31, 2011, while the work is performed.

The work will involve repairs to the 105-year-old bridge's towers, Ohio approach spans and truss, replacement of its mobile inspection platforms and lowering its clearance to prevent overweight vehicles from entering.

There also are plans to repaint the span blue and gold, a color scheme determined by the public through an Internet poll.

Walker said bid specifications for the project didn't appear to include decorative lighting, which had been discussed by state highway officials last year.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com)