DRPA claims judge overstepped in awarding bridge paint contract

The bistate transit agency that operates bridges between New Jersey and Philadelphia says it’s appealing a federal ruling that overturned a $17.9 million contract award for bridge painting.

A federal judge last month rejected a Delaware River Port Authority decision that awarded a contract to paint the Commodore Barry Bridge to an Ohio firm despite a Baltimore company submitting a bid that was about $10,000 lower.

The authority says workplace safety concerns factored into the award.

The judge says the agency’s bid review and contract award process lacks transparency. He also criticized the agency’s method of assessing workplace safety issues as “superficial, “irrelevant” and “spurious.”

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The Courier-Post reports the authority has filed documents stating its intentions of appealing.

Agency officials said Wednesday they believe the judge overstepped his authority.

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