Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 116, No. 40	October 1, 2008

Riverport Road funding details are released

By LARRY SEE JR.
Messenger Staff

Contractors for the Riverport Road project are sharpening their pencils.

Bidding documents were posted last month on the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for the project, according to KYTC spokesperson Becky Judson.

The bid-letting for the project is expected Sept. 26, after which state officials will review the bid and recommend a contractor.

There were seven bidders vying for the project. The engineer’s estimate for the cost was $1,811,636.07. The two low bidders were Scotty’s Contracting and Stone LLC, which came in at $1,128,530.05 and Gohmann Asphalt and Construction, Inc., which bid $1,212,000.00. The latter firm is the one doing the work on the Bypass.

“Per the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), Meade County Fiscal Court is required to pay the $775,000 to KYTC within five days of the notice to contractors,” Judson explained.

Fiscal Court approved the payment at an earlier meeting.

“The $1.9 million is an estimate (for the project) provided by the consultant preparing the plans. It represents an educated guess as to what the project will cost to build. The possibility of the bids coming in under $1.9 million is a take on the current state of the contracting industry. Since there hasn’t been any significant lettings this year, we anticipate contractors will be more interested in obtaining this contract,” she continued.

“As such, we expect bids should come in lower than our educated guess. The memorandum states KYTC has the sole authority to accept or reject bids, but there may be a gentlemen’s agreement not to accept a bid much higher than $1.9 million since the county will be responsible for any excess,” Judson indicated.

The total cost, according to the contract memorandum, includes about 15 percent for construction engineering supervision and management.

In addition to Meade County’s contribution of $774,970, a total of $655,000 will come from the Riverport Authority and the KYTC will contribute $2,733 in administrative oversight costs with the remaining $467,297 being supplied via state reimbursable funding.

The agreement states Meade County is responsible for any project costs over $1.9 million and the county must supply KYTC with a deed.

The department is responsible for all related activities and is responsible for the road upon completion.

The memorandum was signed by Transportation Secretary Joseph Prather; Meade County Judge Executive Harry Craycroft and Todd Shipp from the KYTC office of legal services.

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