176.121 Construction work by department employees. The Department of Highways may cause any road construction or reconstruction to be done by employees of the department instead of through contractors when, in the opinion of the commissioner as expressed in an official order, any of the following conditions is found to exist: (1) Emergency construction or reconstruction is made necessary by the fact that a road has been rendered unusable or the urgency of need for construction or reconstruction is apparent. (2) Construction or reconstruction of access roads would serve as an inducement to industrial location or substantial expansion of industry, and the estimated cost of the project is less than one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($125,000). (3) The project involves: an existing road and provides for such work as improvement of sight distance, traffic marking, channelization or the addition or widening of traffic lanes or widening of shoulders; or construction, reconstruction, widening or strengthening of small bridges and projects for which preparation of detailed plans required to secure bids is unnecessary; or an emergency need does not allow for time for preparation of plans and advertisement for bids. (4) No satisfactory bid is received for the construction or reconstruction of the road after all necessary steps have been taken to obtain bids for such work, and the estimated cost of the projects is less than one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($125,000). Effective: July 15, 1980 History: Amended 1980 Ky. Acts ch. 46, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1980. -- Amended 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 74, Art. IV, sec. 20(1); and ch. 92, sec. 1. -- Created 1964 Ky. Acts ch. 22, sec. 1.