Bids submitted to Douglas County for repairing the Kansas River bridge at Lecompton will be opened at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

County engineer Keith Browning said he hoped to take the bids to county commissioners for selection of a contractor about a week later.

“We’ll need to make sure the prices are tabulated properly and the bonds are proper and in place,” Browning said.

The bids are being accepted at the Douglas County Clerk’s office.

The bridge will be closed during the repair process. Commissioners have said they want the bridge repairs “substantially completed” by the time the Perry-Lecompton school district begins its academic year in early August. The county wants repairs to start March 12.

Estimates for the project, which involves redecking the bridge, had been placed between $1.7 million and $2 million.

Meanwhile, the county recently entered into an agreement with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad for burying signal lines along tracks that are under the southern end of the bridge along the river. The county is responsible for paying the costs of burying the lines. BNSF has estimated the cost will be more than $68,500.