Adopting a new contracting strategy for the main partof the Woodrow Wilson bridge Maryland's State Highway Administration will advertise three contracts for the bridge superstructure. The first, covering the bascule portions of the twin, six-lane spans, is to appear July 2. In announcing the plan on June 20, State Highway Administrator Parker F. Williams said the state's engineering estimate for the bascule contract ranges from $140 million to $170 million. Bid opening is set for Nov. 7.

The state originally planned one contract for the superstructure of the Potomac River crossing, but it was forced to shift gears in December when the lone bid it received totaled nearly $860 million, or more than 70% above the upper end of its $450 million to $500 million engineering estimate range.