The winning of a bridge-replacement contract will allow a Mount Airy construction company to retain employees, an official of the firm said Thursday.

Smith-Rowe Inc. was awarded a $633,137 contract earlier this month to replace a bridge on University Parkway in Winston-Salem which is over 20th Street.

While company President David Rowe said Thursday that the project is not that huge as highway work goes, winning the contract was a welcome development nonetheless.

“It’s awfully good news for us,” Rowe said. “In this day and time, we’re glad to have anything to do.”

He said the firm expects to add no workers to help complete the job, “but we will be able to retain the folks that we have.” Rowe added that Smith-Rowe Inc. now employs about 60 people.

The local bridge contractor can begin work on the Winston-Salem project as early as Feb. 1. It is expected to be completed by Oct. 1, according to an announcement from the office of Gov. Bev Perdue.

Smith-Rowe Inc. was among the lowest bidders vying for 34 N.C. Department of Transportation contracts for highway and bridge work across the state, which were awarded in early January. Thirteen of those projects are being funded through the federal stimulus program, officially known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Rowe said the bridge replacement on University Parkway will be an “interesting job” for his company. Crews will be working under a tight time frame, being allowed a limited number of days and nights to take out the old bridge and install the new one. The busy thoroughfare is expected to be closed a short time as a result.

Smith-Rowe’s recent contract award comes on the heels of similar successes it has enjoyed in recent years.

In March 2009, the Mount Airy company was awarded a $15 million contract for road improvements in Stokes and Forsyth counties in the King area. Another Smith-Rowe official has said this contract was expected to create some new jobs as well as provide work for existing company employees. Federal stimulus money also was granted for that project.

In January 2009, Smith-Rowe Inc. was awarded a $678,044 DOT contract to replace the bridge over Paul’s Creek on Miller Road, also known as State Route 1625.

Contact Tom Joyce at tjoyce@mtairynews.com or at 719-1924.