Carbon awards paving contract for fire center

The first phase of Carbon County’s proposed multiuse fire training facility will soon begin.

On Thursday, the commissioners awarded the contract for the phase 1A — the widening of Emergency Lane — to low bidder Bruce George Paving and Excavating of Kunkletown. The company submitted a bid of $811,869.85.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said the county was happy with the bid.

The project cost for phase 1A was $860,000, Nothstein said.

“This is rare that it comes in lower than the estimated costs,” he said. “Hopefully they don’t run into problems.”

The company will widen Emergency Lane in Nesquehoning, which will be the entrance to the proposed training facility and new emergency management agency, from 11 feet to 22 feet to accommodate firetrucks and larger emergency vehicles that will utilize the site.

Other bids received for the project were significantly higher, coming in between $1.49 million and $1.58 million.

Nothstein said the start date is dependent on the contractor, but hopes that work will begin by the end of June and wrap up by the end of the year.

The widening of Emergency Lane is the first of three phases in the estimated $10 million project.

The facility, once completed, will provide fire departments with live fire training sites and a drill tower and other training necessities, as well as give police, county departments and EMS classroom and training options that normally are completed in other counties.

During the construction, employees will utilize a set of stairs that have been installed at the far end of the county prison parking lot up to the Emergency Management Agency.

Meetings that use the EMA will also be relocated to other sites while the project is taking place.

The county has already secured over $600,000 in grants for the widening of Emergency Lane.