MERCER COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A project to renovate the eastbound and westbound spans of the Oakvale Bridge in Mercer County is among 11 construction projects awarded by the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) on Monday, December 22, 2025. The projects are from a bid letting conducted Tuesday, December 9, 2025.
Brayman Construction Corporation was awarded the contract for $10,693,066.17.
The pair of bridges carries US 460 over Fivemile Creek in Mercer County. The bridges, built in 1972, each carry about 10,400 vehicles a day.
“This project involves rehabilitating both the eastbound and westbound structure and consists of replacing the concrete bridge decks, converting each abutment to a semi-integral configuration that will eliminate the need for expansion joints at the ends of the bridges, repairing areas of deterioration on the concrete abutments and piers, spot painting areas of localized paint failure on the steel girders, and adding a concrete protective coating to concrete surfaces,” said Tracy Brown, P.E., WVDOH State Bridge Engineer.
“This work will help to increase the expected service life for this structure so that the initial taxpayer investment from when the bridge was originally constructed can be maximized,” Brown said.
Projects awarded include:
- Perk Company Inc. was the low bidder on a culvert repair project on Cookman Fork on Interstate 79, with a bid of $284,371.05. (Roane County)
- Perk Company Inc. was also the low bidder on an improvement project on the Hawks Nest Trail trestle, with a bid of $339,792. (Fayette County)
- R.K. Construction Inc. was the low bidder on a superstructure replacement, pavement repair, and guardrail project on the 17th Street Bridge, with a bid of $346,358.47. (Wood County)
- Triton Construction Inc. was the low bidder on bridge deck overlay project on the GM Access Road Bridge, with a bid of $279,500. (Berkeley County)
- Marks Drilling was the low bidder on a slide repair project on WV 152, with a bid of $646,589.50. (Wayne County)
- Marks Drilling was also the low bidder on a slide repair project on Cherry Street, with a bid of $250,713.50. (Lincoln County)
- Marks Drilling was also the low bidder on a slide repair project on Sunnyside Drive, with a bid of $114,370. (Wayne County)
- West Virginia Paving Inc. was the low bidder on a micropile slide repair, resurfacing, and guardrail project on WV 161, with a bid of $449,630. (McDowell County)
- Marks Drilling Inc. was the low bidder on a piling wall slide repair project on Bull Creek Road, with a bid of $169,477. (Pleasants County)
- Marks Drilling Inc. was also the low bidder on a slide repair project on Sand Creek Road, with a bid of $122,388.50. (Lincoln County)
- Brayman Construction Inc. was the low bidder on the Oakvale Bridge rehabilitation project, with a bid of $10,693,066.17. (Mercer County)
Several factors are considered before awarding a bid, including whether a bid falls above or below the WVDOH Engineer’s Estimate and by what percentage. In cases where a bid is above the Engineer’s Estimate, WVDOH must consider the project need, repercussions of not awarding the project, additional funding sources, and whether sufficient reasons exist for the differences in estimates. Most projects are reviewed, analyzed, and awarded within a week of the bid letting, but the process can take longer.
When the Division of Highways has a project that is determined to be best constructed by a contractor, it is processed through the bid letting system. A letting is a scheduled opportunity for contractors to review and bid on several construction projects at one time. Lettings are held either once or twice per month and conducted through the Bid Express System online at www.bidx.comand handled through the Contract Administration Division. Contractors need to subscribe to Bid Express before bids can be accepted on any project.
