Bids opened on Angel Island Bridge project

County officials are weighing bids for a project to replace the Angel Island Bridge in time for summer traffic.

Engineer Mike Fraser opened three bids for the project in front of the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 5. While he planned to double-check the numbers, the lowest bid — submitted by Thompson Contracting Inc. — came in at $346,336.

Two other firms offered much more expensive proposals, clocking in at $749,454 and $600,036.

“I’ll call TCI and make sure that, if we award it to them, that’s it,” Fraser said, telling commissioners he did not want to spend additional weeks wrangling over costs.

County Commissioner Jerry Bennett (D-2) expressed confidence in the contracting firm’s estimation, but gave Fraser the go-ahead to confirm the estimate.

“I think they’re pretty confident in their numbers,” he said.

His overriding concern was ensuring the new bridge withstood the test of time. The original structure, erected by a lumber company, had held up under traffic for decades. Bennett said he wanted the project “done right.”

“This [bridge] has lasted 50 years,” Bennett said. “Maybe we can get 75 years out of the other one.”

Officials hope to have the new bridge open in time for Memorial Day weekend. Money for the project will come out of the county's fuel tax funds.