County opens bidding for Lower Bottom Road repairs

Lower Bottom Road in Cole County was closed on July 6, 2015, after these gaping cracks developed in the roadway following heavy rains in June. (News Tribune file photo)
Lower Bottom Road in Cole County was closed on July 6, 2015, after these gaping cracks developed in the roadway following heavy rains in June. (News Tribune file photo)

A contract to make repairs to Lower Bottom Road in Cole County should be awarded next month.

Cole County public works officials opened bids for the project Friday.

Ten construction firms submitted bids ranging from $250,000 to $355,000. Earlier estimates had the work costing between $400,000 to $500,000.

On July 6, the public works department announced part of Lower Bottom Road was closed due to a road slide, affecting addresses from 11923 to 12217.

Public works officials said the ground was super saturated by heavy rains in June and cracks continued to get bigger.

Later that month, the County Commission awarded a $48,700 contract to GREDELL Engineering Resources Inc. to investigate the geotechnical elements below the approximately 200-by-250-square-foot area of the road that was affected. The contract included completing design for repairs, which will be finished by the county if feasible or contracted out if more substantial.

In August, the county got word it would have the opportunity to receive federal disaster aid to help in recovery efforts following the severe storms.

The county met the minimum damage costs of $286,000 to qualify for aid.

FEMA funds could pay for 75 percent of that amount, and the county would have to pay the remaining 25 percent.

Once a bid is awarded, work could start in February or March and the project would have to be completed by May 31.

Public works officials said they want to stabilize the road, which would mean using limestone. The best limestone is hard to find south of the Osage River, which means possibly trucking in the material if they can't find enough to work with in the area nearby the road.