Bidding opened today for construction of a long-awaited railroad overpass at the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park.
The approximately $2.7 million project is now expected to be completed by the summer of 2018.
Bids will be opened July 14, said Butler County Presiding Commissioner Vince Lampe.
Property right of way agreements account for most of the delay in the project, said Lampe. It was expected to start in 2016.
The county has worked hard to get agreements in place and negotiate with property owners, according to Lampe.
County officials secured the last piece of property last week, said Bob Summers, with Horner and Shifrin engineering firm. Summers expects a bid to be awarded by July 17 and contracts to be signed in September, after bonding is in place and other details finalized.
Construction could also start in September, with 240 days given to complete the work. This is dependent on weather, Summers said.
The industrial park bypass will be shut down from Cravens Road to Riceland for most of the construction period, he said.
Multiple access points will remain for the industrial park, including from both ends of Highway 142, from Harviell or the Whiteley Park area, Summers said.
The overpass is expected to improve safety for the approximately 3,000 industrial park employees.
About 25 trains and up to 2,000 vehicles compete for use of this section of road each day, officials have said.
The project is funded with more than $2.5 million in grant money.
A Missouri Department of Economic Development grant for $1.4 million was awarded, followed by more than $1 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce and $106,000 from the Delta Regional Authority.
Union Pacific will pay almost $136,000 toward the costs, while Butler County will provide some in kind labor.