BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — A construction project to complete a two-mile section of new highway to complete the Berkeley Springs Bypass is among 16 contracts awarded by the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022.
The contracts were awarded from a bid letting held Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022.
A.L.L. Construction Inc. was awarded a contract for $34,955,943 to complete the Berkeley Springs Bypass, which will alleviate heavy truck traffic through the middle of Berkeley Springs and improve safety in the area. The project is funded through Gov. Jim Justice’s $2.8 billion Roads to Prosperity program.
In October 2020, Gov. Justice approved the award of a contract to Trumbull Corporation for $59.8 million to build the lower portion of the bypass, beginning south of Berkeley Springs. The new section of highway will connect the existing portion of the bypass with US 522 north of Berkeley Springs. The project also includes construction of two bridges and a connector road to War Memorial Hospital.
In addition to the Morgan County project, another Eastern Panhandle contract was awarded during the latest bid letting process, a $2,420,372.44 contract to W-L Construction and Paving, Inc. for paving work on a project on Tabler Station Road near Inwood.
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 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.com and handled through the Contract Administration Division. Contractors need to subscribe to Bid Express before bids can be accepted on any project.
(Source: WVDOH Press Release)