The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) has officially awarded four construction contracts totaling more than $27.6 million. Featured among the selections is a major $15.9 million infrastructure initiative designed to upgrade traffic signals, modernization controllers, and improve ADA-compliant ramps and sidewalks throughout downtown Parkersburg.
All four contracts were finalized following a competitive bid letting conducted online via the Bid Express System on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.
| Project Scope & Location | Contractor | Awarded Bid Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Infrastructure Upgrades Traffic signal, controller, ADA ramp, and sidewalk renovations in downtown Parkersburg | Specialty Groups Inc. | $15,993,400.00 |
| Statewide Traffic Systems Maintenance Repair and preventative maintenance on traffic signals, roadway lighting, and traffic cameras | Specialty Groups Inc. | $7,887,241.75 |
| Bridge Rehabilitation Rehabilitation of the Johnny O’Dell Linville Memorial Bridge in Mingo County | Triton Construction Company Inc. | $2,916,920.00 |
| District 3 Guardrail Replacement Guardrail replacement across Calhoun, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood counties | Penn Line Service Inc. | $825,084.50 |
The WVDOH Bid Evaluation Process
Before a contract is formally awarded, the WVDOH carefully reviews several core benchmarks. A primary factor considered is how closely a vendor's proposal aligns with the internal WVDOH Engineer’s Estimate:
- Bids Exceeding Estimates: In instances where proposals trend above the formal engineering estimate, administrators evaluate the urgency of the project, potential infrastructure repercussions if left unawarded, supplementary funding avenues, and technical reasons accounting for the cost variance.
- Review Timeline: While a majority of projects are thoroughly analyzed, processed, and awarded within one week of the initial letting, complex or multi-tier bids may require an extended evaluation period.
About WVDOH Lettings: When a public project is designated for contract construction, it is facilitated through the centralized bid letting system. Held once or twice per month, these events offer contractors a scheduled opportunity to review and bid on several active state projects concurrently. Lettings are handled by the Contract Administration Division and securely processed online via the Bid Express System at www.bidx.com.
