Bid let for completion of frontage road

Aldermen accepted bids last week for the final phase of the frontage road project north and adjacent to the Hwy 98 bypass. The latest phase calls for resurfacing of Plaza Drive from Guy’s Pharmacy west to Hwy 583.
Overall, the project has been about two years in the making.
The first phase involved construction of a water line to the then-undeveloped area to the east of Guy’s Pharmacy to Hwy. 27. That was followed by installation of a sewer line to serve the area using a Corps of Engineers grant.
The sewer project has been completed and the work has been paid for. After making payment, the town has now applied to the Corps of Engineers for its last reimbursement.
The final part of the road grant using funds from state bonds first completed the Plaza Drive extension from Guy’s east to Hwy. 27.
This last phase of the road project will reconstruct the existing Plaza Drive from Guy’s west to Hwy. 583.
Beacon Construction of Columbia won the contract with a bid of $299,501.54. Beacon has done work for the town in the past, constructing a boat ramp along Magee’s Creek at Holmes Water Park.
Other bidders included Warren & Warren, $308,655; Greenbriar Construction, $330,966 and R&J Construction with the high bid of $336,032.
A few weeks ago, R&J submitted a $380,000 bid when the project was originally advertised, turning in the lone bid. It was above estimates and the town decided to readvertise the project.
Beacon’s winning bid is within the budget the town has for the project.