CHARLESTON, WV – A construction project to renovate 13 different bridges along a 40-mile stretch on Interstate 79 is among 21 contracts awarded by the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2022.

The contracts were awarded from a bid letting held Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022.

Triton Construction Inc. was awarded a contract for $62,455,000 to renovate 13 bridges on I-79 between Lost Creek and Interstate 68 near Morgantown. The bridges are in Harrison, Marion and Monongalia counties.

The WVDOH received a $20 million federal grant toward the renovation project. The rest of the project is funded with a combination of federal and state monies.

Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2023. Another project to completely replace six bridges along the same stretch of interstate is expected to go out for bid in early 2023.

For a list of construction projects awarded by the WVDOH in November, click here.

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.