Bids opened by Lehigh County on Thursday, Sept. 13, for the construction of the new Hokendauqua-North Catasauqua Bridge, including demolition of the steel grate bridge and two small connecting bridges, were presented at a cost of $11.8 million.

The low bidder was HRI Contracting Co., State College, the same company hired to do work on the Route 22 and MacArthur Road Bridge.

County engineering and administration are reviewing whether all specifications by HRI were presented for the Hokendauqua (Whitehall Township) Bridge. The contract is expected to be awarded in October.

HRI's bid was $5 million lower than the highest bid opened. There were five contracting companies that submitted bids. Construction tentatively is expected to begin in December, which will include tearing down the old bridge. UGI, Northampton Borough Municipal Authority and other utilities will be on the site at Water Street and adjoining areas.

The bridge construction will take two years, after which time work will begin on replacing the Coplay-Northampton Bridge, also a two-year project.

In a related matter tied to the Hokendauqua-North Catasauqua Bridge, bids will open Dec. 6 for construction of a much smaller bridge on Lehigh Street, west of the larger span. A new bridge crossing the Coplay Creek at the site of the former Palace Gardens, which was damaged in a fire several years back, will also take place.

Whitehall Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr. said the smaller bridge construction will be on the fast track since steel beams for the Hokendauqua-North Catasauqua Bridge will be transported via Lehigh Street and the new bridge.

The Coplay Creek and the adjoining park-playground in the area has experienced consistent flooding due to recent rain storms.

The township's roads will be busy with bridge projects and traffic changes next year as the other bridge improvements and construction will have bids submitted in 2013.