Airport Road in Schuylkill County will receive much needed work as county commissioners voted Wednesday to approve a contract with Lehigh Asphalt Paving and Construction.

The Tamaqua-based company submitted the lowest bid of $1,074,420.73.

“It’s going to be a totally new road,” County Engineer Lisa Mahall said of the county road in Foster Township and off Route 901 near Highridge Business Park.

The approximate 1.1-mile stretch was first constructed in 1967, she said. The project will include reconstruction of the road, repaving the park and ride, guiderail replacement and storm water improvements.

“The road project will be completed in 2021,” Mahall said.

In 1997, road repair, pothole patching, repaving, storm water inlet repair and line painting was done. The park and ride was constructed in 1981.

A contract was signed with Alfred Benesch & Company of Pottsville, in 2020.

“The delay was due to COVID,” Mahall said about the project not progressing.

Money will come from a 2019 PennDOT Multimodal Transportation Fund Grant, which is a reimbursement grant, of $674,720. Estimated costs in 2018 were $963,886. The amount of the grant represents 70 percent of the 2018 projected costs, Mahall said. Liquid fuels funds the county has will pay for its 30% of the cost.