The bid selected to replace the closed Birchdale Road bridge is nearly $200,000 less than the amount approved by Bow voters.
The select board approved a $579,717.50 bid from R.M. Piper, Inc. of Plymouth last week, $192,282.50 less than the $772,000 the town set aside for the project in March. The approved bid was the lowest of five the town received, with the highest coming in at $929,977, according to town documents.
The bridge, which spans White Brook in Bow, has been closed since July 2015 after an underwater inspection revealed critical structural deficiencies. It’s also on the state’s list of red-list bridges. A second bridge located on the Concord side of the road spanning Bela Brook is also red-listed.
About 80 percent of the project will be eligible for state bridge aid funding in 2025, according to Bow Town Manager David Stack. He said the notice of award was sent to Piper on Wednesday and the contract will be signed next week.
The bridge is scheduled to reopen in the fall.