Bid of $4,650,000 to Fix Big Dock

A single bid, one of $4,650,000, came in to Levy County for reconstruction of the Cedar Key "Big Dock." That bid is more than three times the $1,300,000 for dock reconstruction committed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following the storm damage to the dock in 2004. Repeated delays for geotechnical studies and structural engineering plans have extended the reconstruction project.

Russell Engineering of Fort Lauderdale was the only bidder on the project, despite eight firms that were asked to submit bids. A representative of a firm that did not bid suggested that reengineering could reduce the project's cost.

Levy County officials have asked FEMA representatives to come to the dock site and reconsider FEMA's contribution the reconstruction effort. The FEMA team's visitation may come as early as the second week in July.