CHARLESTON, WV – Gov. Jim Justice and West Virginia Division of Highways have awarded a project to pave the access road into the former Hobet mine site in Boone County. The project is the first step in developing the old mine site into an economic driver for southern West Virginia.
On Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, S&E Clearing & Hydroseeding, Inc. was awarded a contract for $4,295,709.65 to pave approximately three miles of access road up the mountain into the economic development site. The project includes resurfacing existing roadway into Hobet and new pavement on top of the mountain. The contract award came out of a bid letting held on Aug. 10. Governor Justice directed WVDOH to come up with plans for a new interchange and improved access road into the site to open up Hobet, now known as Rock Creek Development Park, for development. WVDOH plans to put the second phase of the project, the interchange, out for bid later this fall. Plans call for a diamond intersection at Corridor G and Rock Creek. A bridge will be built over Corridor G and a second bridge will be built crossing the CSX rail line and the Little Coal River to connect with the access road into the development. Estimated cost of the interchange is about $25 million. DOH anticipates a two-to-three-year construction period. Other projects in Districts 1, 2, and 3 awarded by Justice and WVDOH on Aug. 23 were:- Triton Construction Inc. was low bidder on a project to replace the Lt. Darwin K. Kyle Memorial Bridge in Boone County. Low bid was $4,677,125.
- SQP Construction Group was low bidder on an ADA ramp project on Pennsylvania Avenue in Kanawha County. Low bid was $119,687.
- R.K. Construction, Inc. was low bidder on an ADA ramp project on Bigley Avenue in Kanawha County. Low bid was $280,777.
- West Virginia Signal & Light, Inc. was low bidder on a project to replace traffic signals on Frame Road in Kanawha County. Low bid was $371,749.50.
- R.K. Construction, Inc. was low bidder on a replacement project for the Wallow Hole Bridge in Clay County. Low bid was $418,877.77.
- Bear Contracting, LLC was low bidder on a resurfacing project between Lanta and Quinland Road in Mingo County. Low bid was $762,943.57.
- West Virginia Paving, Inc. was low bidder on a resurfacing project between Salt Rock and Sarah in Cabell County. Low bid was $614,240.75.
- West Virginia Signal & Light, Inc. was low bidder on a traffic light renovation project on Dupont Road in Wood County. Low bid was $398,722.
Several factors are considered before awarding a bid, including whether a bid falls above or below the WVDOH Engineer’s Estimate and by what percentage. In cases where a bid is above the Engineer’s Estimate, WVDOH 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. When the Division of Highways has a project that is determined to be best constructed by a contractor, it is processed through the bid letting system. A letting is a scheduled opportunity for contractors to review and bid on several construction projects at one time. Lettings are held either once or twice per month and conducted through the Bid Express System online at www.bidx.comand handled through the Contract Administration Division. Contractors need to subscribe to Bid Express before bids can be accepted on any project. As the date and time approaches for the deadline of the letting, contractors are expected to place their bids, with complete documentation as necessary. Shortly after the letting, the respective bids are reviewed. All bids are evaluated thoroughly for competitiveness and deemed acceptable through guidelines as approved by policy, reviewed and approved by the FHWA. Award of the contracts is made based on recommendation by our Awards Committee based on the results that evaluation and approval by the Commissioner. Projects are typically awarded to the lowest bidder which has all proper documentation in place.