A redesign for rehab of a Syracuse bridge brought in a set of bids this morning $184,000 lower than in July. Kosciusko County Commissioners approved a bid of $404,000 from Northern Indiana Construction Co., Mishawaka, at the recommendation of county Highway Superintendent Scott Tilden. The lowest of four bids for the work on bridge 278 on Front Street in Syracuse, it came in under the engineer’s estimate of $432,000, he noted. In July, the county received a bid of $586,000 from La Porte Construction Co., the only company to submit, that Tilden recommended turning down for being too far above the engineer’s original estimate. They had since revamped the plan, which USI Consultants Inc. Vice President Phil Beer said calls for replacing everything from the existing foundation on up as well as repairing erosion to the approach. Work is scheduled to be completed by May 18 and the road cannot be closed for more than 90 days, Beer said, noting that some of the work can be done without closing the road. Also at Tilden’s request, commissioners approved the $13,697 purchase of a front-end loader from Bobcat of Warsaw, and the purchase of five plow blades for $47,790 from Hoosier Equipment LLC, Plymouth. Commissioners also voted to send a letter to the state endorsing funding for hyperbaric treatment for veterans with brain injuries, at the suggestion of Commissioner Bob Conley; and approved the rezoning of 14.5 acres near Nappanee from Agriculture I to Ag II at the suggestion of the Area Plan Commission.
