Interstate Concrete & Asphalt Co., of Coeur d'Alene, is the apparent low bidder, with a bid of $5.9 million, for an Idaho Transportation Department project to widen a two-mile stretch of U.S. 95 north of Hayden.

The low bid was far less than half of the about $16 million that the department originally had estimated for the work. The department credits stable construction material prices and competition among bidders for the low bids.

The project is part of an Idaho Transportation department plan to widen 31 miles of busy U.S. 95, between Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint, to four lanes. That overall project originally was estimated at about $342 million.

The current project, which is expected to begin in the spring and to be completed in the fall, will be paid for with federal stimulus funds, says Barbara Babic, a spokeswoman for the department.

Among eight highway projects being paid for with federal stimulus funds in Idaho, the department has so far had more than $50 million in bid savings.

In the current project, Interstate Concrete will widen what currently is a two-lane-section of U.S. 95, between Wyoming Avenue and U.S. 95's junction with state Route 53.

The project will connect segments on either end of the project that already have four lanes, creating a continuous four-lane highway between Coeur d'Alene and north of Garwood.

The contractor also will construct a traffic signal at the intersection of U.S. 95 and Lancaster Avenue to improve safety at that intersection, Babic says.