Company Hired to Replace Bridge

We’ve heard it before: The Kennedy Street Bridge is one step closer to being replaced.

This time, however, a company has been hired to do the work. The L.C. Whitford Company Inc. of Wellsville, N.Y., submitted the lowest of five bids for the job at $444,436.

PennDOT opened the bids on December 2, and Bradford City Council authorized execution of the contract on Tuesday.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, council authorized a contract with E & M Engineers for $100,644 for design of the School Street Elementary Safe Routes to School project.

Council also agreed to execute an agreement with Habiterra Architecture to provide design and related enhancements to the Kessel Athletic Complex for $152,000.

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will reimburse the city for the cost of the engineering services.

Council also authorized the filing of an application for Transportation Enhancement Funding through the North Central Regional Planning and Development Commission for the Elm Street/Davis Street Gateway and Streetscape Improvement project.

OECD Executive Director Sara Andrews said the money would go toward improvements from the Elm Street off ramp of Route 219 to Chestnut Street. Any extra money would go toward improvements on Davis Street.

Also Tuesday, council agreed to allow the OECD to administer grants on behalf of the McKean County Industrial Development Authority and the Bradford Regional Airport Authority for the airport’s multi-tenant building project.

The IDA got money from the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital program, and the airport authority got additional money from the US Economic Development Administration and PennDOT’s Bureau of Aviation. The authority has also applied for funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission.

The airport authority has agreed to pay the OECD $15,000 for expenses related to the administration of the grants.

In another airport related matter, council authorized an agreement between the airport authority and Cameron, Elk, McKean and Warren counties, and the City of Bradford, to make provisions for the future operation, maintenance and improvement to the airport.

This agreement supersedes the agreement dated April 24, 1967, or any other agreement, written or oral.

Also Tuesday, the city agreed to pay Display Sales $846 for the flags on Main Street. The money for the flags was donated primarily by the AKtion Club.

Councilman Rick Benton, who is also president of the Kiwanis Club of Bradford, noted that the AKtion Club donated 70 percent of the money and their sponsors -- the Kiwanis Club, Dallas-Morris Drilling, Evergreen Elm and the Bradford Area High School Key Club -- donated 30 percent.