YAKIMA, Wash.-- The city of Yakima's plans for a new underpass on Martin Luther King Boulevard may cost less than they originally thought.
This week, the city started taking contractor bids for the project. Engineers estimated the cost at 13 million dollars, but one bid came in at 11 million.
It's the second of two underpasses the city planned to build. They finished the first this summer on Lincoln Avenue.
They said the surplus gives them a much-needed financial cushion.
"One of the big advantages of having the bid come in so low is that we have a nice cushion or a contingency should there be any issues that arise during the actual project itself," said Randy Beehler with the city of Yakima.
While there isn't an official start date yet, the city hopes to begin construction on the road in January. They plan to finish it by the summer of 2014.
