Allan A. Myers, LP, of Worcester, Pa., will be the contractor completing the $28 million Route 903 bridge project in Jim Thorpe.

Ronald J. Young Jr., district press officer for Penn DOT Engineer District 5, said via phone on Friday that Allan A. Myers was the successful low bidder, submitting a bid of $28,183,312.02. It was one of seven bids received for the bridge replacement.The next step before construction can begin is a preconstruction meeting. The meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m., Dec. 18, at the Engineering District 5 office in Allentown.Young explained that the meeting will focus on all the legal aspects of the project, and make sure the contractor's supplies and sub-contractors meet federal and state regulations.After that meeting, a notice-to-proceed document will be filed and a project start date will be announced.Young wanted to stress that there will be minimal impact for motorists during the construction of the new bridge, which will be built 940 feet upstream from the existing bridge. Traffic will continue to travel on the existing bridge until the new bridge is complete. Traffic will then be rerouted onto the new bridge before the demolition of the current bridge takes place.Young said that the contract completion date is July 2017.The new Route 903 bridge will be a 961-foot, four-span continuous steel plate girder bridge. The project will also include constructing retaining walls, and the reconstruction and widening of Route 209.The bridge will run from approximately the intersection of Second Street on the east side of Jim Thorpe and connect to Route 209 at approximately the intersection of Liberty Road at the section known as the Liberties.