By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Projects to improve road safety continue around Barton County. The county opened bids on July 31 for a project to widen an existing reinforced concrete box bridge just over a mile east of Beaver on Northeast 190 Road. County Engineer Barry McManaman presented those bids to the board of commissioners Tuesday morning for approval.
"This is one of the boxes we have around the county," he said. "This is probably the worst one I know of right now. We have a drop along the edge of the white line - a pretty steep drop-off - and it's one that's been on my radar as something we needed to improve for safety purposes."
Great Bend's L&M Contractors submitted the low bid of $119,944, which was less than half of the bid from a Wichita-based firm. Commissioners Donna Zimmerman and Tricia Schlessiger were pleased about the process.
"I think having the local bid be so much lower makes this a really easy decision," Zimmerman said.
"I also appreciate your forward thinking in selecting these because there are quite a few that need improvement out in the county," said Schlessiger. "I appreciate you getting them on the list to get them done."
The work will add six feet on both sides of the concrete box, allowing the county road and bridge crew to backfill the area with dirt to create safe side slopes. The county recently completed a similar project north of Claflin at Northeast 130 Ave. and Northeast 130 Road.