Jackson aldermen set to award bid for East Main project

Jackson's Board of Aldermen will award a contract at its regular board meeting tonight for phase one of the East Main Street Extension project.

The lowest bid was nearly $260,000 less than the engineering estimate of $864,355 for the project.

"We got a lot of interest and the bids were very competitive. We're very excited," said Rodney Bollinger, Jackson's public works director.

The city received nine bids for the project; the lowest bid of $605,336 was from Fronabarger Concreters Inc. of Oak Ridge.

Start of work nearing

Construction on the first phase of the project is expected to begin at the end of May or early June. Phase one of the East Main Street extension involves demolishing an existing house, clearing the land, excavating rock, inserting a water and sewer line and constructing a storm water detention basin.

The city of Jackson is responsible for a two-phase project extending East Main Street from Old Orchard Road to the future interchange. The project is part of a Missouri Department of Transportation $8.3 million interchange project on Interstate 55.

MoDOT's project manager Andy Meyer said MoDOT is expected to advertise for bids in July and begin work in September.

Phase one target

Bollinger said it was the city's goal to start work on phase one this year so the city's electric distribution department can begin constructing an electric transmission line to the Center Junction interchange.

"It's going to start getting pretty hectic out there," Bollinger said.

Cape Girardeau plans to rebuild County Road 618 -- to be renamed LaSalle Avenue -- and extend the road to I-55.

The city is expected to select an engineering firm to design LaSalle Avenue within the next few weeks, said Cape Girardeau city engineer Jay Stencel.

The entire interchange project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2007.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246