Kentucky’s road paving projects reveal a costly problem: too many single-bid contracts. When only one company submits a bid, the project costs more. Analysts show that single-bid contracts awarded through June 2025 added over $12.7 million in extra costs. In fact, in the first 6 months of 2025, more than $150 million in paving contracts were single-bid. This limits competition and drives up expenses. Critics argue that the lack of bidding competition shortchanges Kentucky taxpayers and strains public budgets. Transparency and competitive bidding are essential for stretching every dollar in infrastructure spending. Encouraging multiple bids would promote better value, reduce waste, and help build Kentucky’s roads more efficiently—and in the end, respects taxpayer dollars.