CHARLESTON — Bridge and paving projects in Randolph, Upshur and Pocahontas counties are among 20 construction contracts awarded to local contractors by the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) this month.

On June 4, WVDOH announced it had awarded 20 construction contracts for several bridge replacement and paving projects throughout the state. The contracts were awarded from a bid letting conducted on May 19, WVDOH said in a press release announcing the contracts.

“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,” WVDOH said in its release. “A letting is a scheduled opportunity for contractors to review.”

Among the 20 contracts, J.F. Allen Company of Randolph County was the lowest bidder on a paving project on WV 15, from Monterville to Brady Gate near Valley Head, with a bid of $469,728.40.

J.F. Allen Company was also the lowest bidder on a paving project on WV 20, from Diana to Hacker Valley Road in Webster County, with a bid of $785,019.43 and on a paving project on WV 47, from Coxs Mill to Troy Road in Gilmer County, with a bid of $757,017.65.

In Pocahontas County, SQP Construction Group Inc. of St. Albans, with a bid of $1,996,752.68, was the lowest bidder on a rehabilitation project on the Thorny Creek Park Bridge.

In Upshur County, Bear Contracting LLC of Bridgeport was also awarded a contract on a widening and turn lane project on WV 20 in Buckhannon. They were lowest bidder on that project with a bid of $925,047.88.

“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,” WVDOH said in its press release. “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.”

WVDOH also awarded contracts for bridge replacement and paving projects in Berkeley, Cabell, Clay, Gilmer, Hardy, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Kanawha, Nicholas, Putnam and Webster counties.