Bids for the widening of state Route 410 in the Eastown portion of Bonney Lake were opened Feb. 3, with the lowest bid nearly half of the amount estimated by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

The low bidder was turned in by J.R. Hayes and Sons of Maple Valley, which bid $6.7 million.

Bonney Lake Public Works Director Dan Grigsby said the WSDOT estimate for the project was $11.3 million. He said WSDOT will check the bid tabulations.

Grigsby said the city is looking forward to the improvement on 410 that will be accomplished by the project.

“It removes the uncertainty that developers and property owners have had about the impact to access their property and for developers who are planning on building new businesses in Eastown,” Grigsby said.

He said once the contract is awarded and a construction schedule is available, more precise information will be available to Eastown residents and developers.

The project includes:

• alignment and a new traffic signal installed at the 233rd-234th Avenue intersection at 410.

• street lighting from 214th Ave to 234th Avenue.

• a landscaped median as a division between eastbound and westbound traffic.

• curbs and gutters that will divert stormwater into treatment facilities that will help clean the water and reduce flooding.

• a future traffic signal at 225th Avenue has been planned for and incorporated into the design of this contract.

“The bottom line is the eastern gateway to the city will be defined and will present a very favorable impression to visitors and residents to the city,” Grigsby noted.

Grigsby said the project will improve the flow and safety of traffic through and within the city.