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VALLEY GROVE -- An 88-year-old bridge in Valley Grove will be replaced, the West Virginia Division of Highways announced Friday.
Replacing the Lewis Bridge, built in 1933, is one of 10 highway construction projects awarded by the DOH this week. Ohio-West Virginia Excavating Co. was awarded a contract for $1,644,370 to work on the bridge.
The Lewis Bridge, located on U.S. 40 in Ohio County, is the second of four weight-restricted bridges to be replaced in the area. Weight restrictions on the bridges limit the ability to use U.S. 40 as a detour during emergencies or as work continues on Interstate 70.
Contractors finished replacing the Bear Fork Bridge on U.S. 40 in December. Replacement of the Playground Bridge -- built in 1917 and rehabilitated in the 1980s -- is scheduled for 2023. Replacing the Valley Grove Bridge, built in 1941, is on the books to be replaced in 2024.
WVDOH District 6 Engineer Tony Clark said all four bridges restrict the ability to detour heavy traffic onto U.S. 40 during emergencies or construction work on Interstate 70.
Plans are to replace one side of the bridge at a time to avoid closing the span completely during construction.
Contracts for projects on bridges in Harrison, Hardy, Upshur, Lincoln, Roane and Fayette counties were awarded, including three in Harrison and four in Roane.
Several factors are considered before awarding a bid, according to the WVDOH, including whether a bid falls above or below the engineer's estimate and by what percentage. In cases where a bid is above the engineer's estimate, WVDOH says it must consider the project need, repercussions of not awarding the project, additional funding sources and whether or not sufficient reasons exist for the differences in estimates.
Most projects are reviewed, analyzed and awarded within a week of the bid letting, but the process can take longer. Projects are typically awarded to the lowest bidder that has all proper documentation in place.