The Starke County Commissioners opened bids Tuesday, January 21 for the Community Crossings Matching Grant projects.
The projects include a hot mix asphalt overlay on Division Road between State Road 23 and 1200 East, 400 South between Range Road and 100 East, and 200 South between Range Road and 100 East. These projects were awarded funding through the Community Crossings Matching Grant Program in the second call for projects in 2024.
County Attorney Justin Schramm read the bids into the record. Rieth Riley Construction Co. submitted a bid of $821,005.75, Milestone Contractors submitted a bid of $926,300, and E&B Paving submitted a bid of $941,079.08.
The bid packets were given to VS Engineering representatives to review and come back to the commissioners with a recommendation for approval of a bid in an upcoming meeting.
In looking ahead to the first call for projects this year in the state’s Community Crossings Matching Grant program, Starke County Highway Department Superintendent Rachel Oesterreich asked the commissioners to take the county’s matching portion out of the Motor Vehicle Highway Restricted Fund rather than the CEDIT Fund because a portion of funding for a bridge project will come out of the CEDIT fund. The commissioners agreed to the adjustment.
If approved for funding, the proposed projects for the first call of this year include a hot mix asphalt overlay on County Road 1200 East from State Road 8 to County Road 150 North, and County Road 900 South from County Road 1000 East to the County Line. Oesterreich said both roadways are considered main feeds in the county.
