SIKESTON -- Two companies submitted qualifying bids to complete the remaining work on the Missouri side of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge under construction in Cape Girardeau.

Bids from Massman Construction Co. of Kansas City and Traylor Brothers Construction of Evansville, Ind., were opened in Jefferson City Friday by Missouri Department of Transportation officials. The companies submitted bids of $35,950,054 and $53,766,177, respectively.

MoDOT district engineer Scott Meyer said the bids will be reviewed and evaluated before being presented to the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission for consideration of an award at a meeting March 3.

The contractors are competing for the chance to complete work on the main span, which includes several piers, support cables, the bridge deck on the first five piers and the installation of roadway and decorative lighting. Meyer said he did not know the projected cost of the main span work.

"That information is not made available to this office," he said.

Meyer said MoDOT set stringent requirements for companies wishing to bid on the project. The state ran into problems with the previous contract with Flatiron Structures Co. of Longmont, Colo. The contractor and MoDOT agreed to terminate the $50.8 million contract for the main span because of a bedrock problem found under a pier that was being constructed in the river.

When Flatiron pulled out, about 20 percent of the work had been completed.

"The fissure problem took us longer than we originally anticipated, but we have confirmed that we have taken care of the mud seams that were out there," said Meyer.

A number of contractors applied and attended pre-construction conferences for the latest contract, but only two qualified bids were received, he said. Both contractors have proven experience in major bridge and river work.

"We did have several contractors apply, and not all of them were approved," said Meyers.

Massman Construction currently is completing work on the substructure of the Illinois approach, which includes bridge piers and steel beams that will provide support for the bridge deck.

That work is scheduled for completion in June.

"We're making good progress on the Illinois side," Meyer said. "We went ahead and let that contract knowing that side would get ahead of the main span side to keep the project moving."

Two additional contracts are needed to complete the bridge. MoDOT likely will award a contract to complete the concrete driving surface on the Illinois approach in 2001. In 2002, a contract to extend Shawnee Parkway south to the bridge will be awarded.

Completion of the bridge is expected in mid-2003.