A contract to build the final bridge on the approximately 13-mile section of Corridor H from Kerens to Parsons is among 29 construction projects included in a bid letting conducted by the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) on Tuesday, October 8, 2024.
The bridge will be 1,740 feet long, with both horizontal and vertical curves. WVDOH State Bridge Engineer Tracy Brown said the design is challenging.
“The structure is around a third of a mile long,” Brown said. “It is a huge milestone in the ultimate goal of completing Corridor H in that this is the last piece in the long-awaited Kerens to Parsons section.
“This accomplishment involved many late nights of work and after hour meetings involved in coordinating with our partners at FHWA, Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Monongahela National Forest, local leaders, our design consultants, and residents of the local communities,” Brown said. “With this project now being underway, only two sections remain in achieving the ultimate goal of fully completing Corridor H.”
Projects in the October 8 bid letting include:
- District 8 ADA ramps. (Pendleton, Pocahontas, Randolph and Tucker counties)
- WV 97 paving, Hanover to Baileysville. (Wyoming County)
- WV 92 paving, Minnehaha Springs to Sunset Road. (Pocahontas County)
- US 250 paving, Little River Bridge to Thornwood. (Pocahontas County)
- WV 32 paving, Canaan Heights to Davis. (Tucker County)
- Roaring Run Bridge, Corridor H. (Randolph County)
- US 250 paving, Riffle Creek Road to Huttonsville. (Randolph County)
- US 219 paving, Scenic Highway to Lake Reed Road. (Pocahontas County)
- Interstate 79 paving, Amma to Big Sandy Creek Road overpass. (Roane County)
- Interstate 79 Clendenin interchange bridges rehabilitation. (Kanawha County)
- US 52 paving, John Nash Boulevard. (Mercer County)
- PFC Tracy Rohrbaugh Memorial Bridge rehabilitation. (Grant County)
- WVDOH Equipment Division lot lighting. (Upshur County)
- WV 2 improvements, New Cumberland. (Hancock County) (Roads to Prosperity)
- Onego Bridge replacement. (Pendleton County)
- Church Street Bridge renovation. (Braxton County)
- Traffic signal, US 250 and Bridge Street. (Barbour County)
- Interstate 64 Shady Spring Interchange lighting. (Raleigh County)
- Interstate 64 Blue Sulphur Overpass Bridge expansion joints, cleaning and painting. (Cabell County)
- Interstate 64 Academy Drive Overpass Bridge rehabilitation. (Kanawha County)
- WV 2 guardrails, milepost 0.00 to milepost 9.05. (Tyler County)
- Toney Fork Bridge paving. (Wyoming County)
- Ashland Timber Bridge paving. (McDowell County)
- US 19 Corridor L Bridge Number 2 rehabilitation. (Raleigh County)
- US 60 Sam Black Bridge cleaning and painting. (Greenbrier County)
- US 60 Johnson Bridge cleaning and painting. (Greenbrier County)
- USMC Lance Corporal Julius C. “Corky” Foster Memorial Bridge cleaning and painting. (McDowell County)
- US Army PFC Teaberry Mullins Memorial Bridge rehabilitation. (Logan County)
- Workman Creek Bridge paving. (Raleigh County)
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.
