It could cost Palmerton Area School District nearly $200,000 to replace sidewalks at its high school/junior high school complex.

Six companies submitted bids to the school district on Friday for the sidewalk reconstruction project, with F.A. Rohrbach Inc. of Allentown, turning in the apparent low bid of $199,890.That bid was $19,495 less than the next lowest bid of $219,385 turned in by L&A Concrete Works. Other companies that bid were Kobalt Construction, $238,284; C.E. Ankiewicz Construction, $263,929; Jeffrey George Contracting, $308,000; and Sikorsky Concrete Products, $330,800.The sidewalks to be replaced are at the high school entrance, the junior high school entrance, by the junior high school gym; along the west side toward the stadium, and along the east side.The board could award a contract for the project when it meets at 6:30 p.m. this evening.Superintendent Carol Boyce previously said the sidewalks are in need of repair for "safety since there are broken and very uneven areas, also for handicap accessibility."The project is expected to be completed in time for the start of next school year.It will be paid for from the $5 million bond the district took out in 2010, at which time it also refinanced several previous bonds.