STATE OPENS BIDS FOR DEMOLITION OF BUILDINGS ALONG NEW BRIDGE ROUTE

Demolition of structures along the new Mississippi River bridge route in South Cape Girardeau could get under way by early- to mid-June; early earthwork for the Highway 74 bridge route interchange at Interstate 55 could start in July.

Bids were opened for both projects Friday.

"We received two bids for the demolition of the 54 structures, which are in the bridge path at Cape Girardeau," said Larry Rohr, Missouri Highway and Transportation Department design engineer with the District 10 office in Sikeston.

The bids were: Werner Brothers, Herculaneum, $211,573; and Ehkinger Wrecking, Kansas City, $238,200.

The highway department opened bids Friday in Jefferson City for earthwork and culverts.

Low bidder for the project was Brenda Kay Construction of Oran, with a bid of $3,162,807.

The bids will be reviewed by the Missouri Highway Commission at its June 4 meeting.

"We sent both bids for the demolition work to Jefferson City," said Rohr. "If everything is in order, the contract will be awarded to the low bidder at that time. Work could get under way by mid-June."

Structures along the route include six commercial buildings, 39 residential buildings and nine other structures.

The first demolition project will consist of 11 buildings within the Sprigg and College Street area, noted Rohr. Demolition of the second block of buildings will get under way in July. The timetable calls for a third group of buildings to be razed in October, with the final group to be taken down in November.

The houses and buildings that will be demolished under this contract include those that were purchased by the state prior to May 1. Structures acquired by the state after that date will be demolished under a separate contract.

LeRoy Nunn, District 10 right-of-way acquisition agent, said earlier this month that more than half of the 132 parcels along the bridge route right of way have been purchased by the state. Many of the parcels have houses or commercial buildings on them.

Nunn said it is necessary to board up doors and windows in the houses to prevent trespassers from breaking in and possibly injuring themselves. Since the state now owns the properties, it could be liable if someone were hurt.

He added that the transportation has all of the right of way for the new highway from the river to South Sprigg and is now purchasing parcels from South Sprigg to South West End Boulevard as they become available.

Nunn says acquisition of the right of way is ahead of schedule. The state has relocated 40 families displaced by the right-of-way purchases.

"We had seven bids for grading and culvert work at Interstate 55," said Ron Underwood, District 10 materials engineer. "If the Mary Kay bid is approved June 4, the contractor could probably start by early July."

Actual construction of the new Mississippi River bridge, which will connect with the new Highway 74 route through town, is still years away.