- Lawrence Construction submitted the lowest bid at $1.66 million, about 4% below estimates.
- Project includes partial OKI grant funding and requires a $330K transfer from capital reserves.
- Construction will begin in the summer, with a 30-day intersection restriction, and completion isexpected by Nov. 30.
Boone County has selected a construction firm to lead the construction of the Camp Ernst and Longbranch roads roundabout.
During a Boone County Fiscal Court meeting on March 24, the legislative body approved a resolution announcing Boone County-based Lawrence Construction as the firm responsible for the construction of the forthcoming Camp Ernst, Longbranch Road roundabout.
Boone County Engineer Rob Franxman said the county received three bids, with Lawrence Construction submitting the lowest at $1,664,694.85, 4% below the engineer’s initial estimate.
“Lawrence is fully pre-qualified to perform the work and has a history of successful performance with the county,” Franxman said.
Lawrence Construction & Leasing has secured additional construction contracts in Northern Kentucky, including a $2.96 million project awarded in March by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to upgrade major roadways along Houston Road near Florence. This project aims to upgrade paving, curb and gutter installation, drainage systems, sidewalks and traffic control.
The project is partially funded by a grant from the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments, with up to $531,080 available for reimbursement. The project currently has $1.34 million available from the county’s budget, but will need a $330,000 transfer from capital reserves.
Regarding the timeline, Franxman said that construction would start during the summer when Boone County Schools are on break. During that period, the intersection of Camp Ernst and Longbranch roads will be restricted for at least 30 days, which is when most of the major work is expected to take place. The project is estimated to be completed by November 30.
“I really like the point about trying to maximize when school’s out, trying to get as much done during summer break,” Boone County Judge/Executive Gary Moore said. “That’ll be important.”
Boone County previously approved an agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet on Feb. 10 to move forward with the project’s construction phase.
This particular intersection has been a longstanding concern for county officials, as traffic around Cooper High School and the Hawks Landing Preserve subdivision has raised safety issues. In addition, the intersection is bordered by two electrical substations.
Initially proposed in 2015 as a T-intersection, the project later switched to a roundabout design, as officials felt that roundabouts reduce traffic flow and are safer for pedestrians, since their design naturally regulates speed, leading to fewer crashes. At a prior fiscal court meeting, Moore said the project was delayed several times over the years due to the redesign.