The Todd County Board of Commissioners awarded a $4,090,729.28 contract to Tom’s Backhoe Service of Brainerd to do the old Highway 10 turnback project in Staples during the board’s Tuesday, May 18 meeting.

County Engineer Loren Fellbaum described the work as a complete reconstruction of two downtown streets. The roads are County Road 54, or Second Avenue, and two blocks of County Road 43, or Fourth Street, in Staples.

The work includes installing new water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer lines, replacing the curb and gutters and street surfaces, as well as benches, decorative lighting and other streetscape work.

Fellbaum said the contract required Tom’s Backhoe Service to complete the work by October 15. Tom’s was the lowest of nine bids. The highest bid was in excess of $5.9 million.

Todd County Road 54 is the previous route for the now relocated U.S. Highway 10. When completed, the Second Avenue roadway will be turned back to the City of Staples as a city street.