KRS 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 condition s 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 s uch 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 ne cessary 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).