Northern Lehigh School District should soon know how much it will cost for asbestos removal and flooring upgrades at its high school.

The district will accept bids until 11 a.m. March 17 for the asbestos abatement project at the high school.

The project consists of the removal and disposal of about 50,300-square-feet of asbestos, containing floor tile, and associated asbestos, containing floor tile mastic throughout the high school.

The project is to be completed in three phases:

• Phase 1: Removal and disposal of 9,500-square-feet of asbestos-containing floor tile and mastic throughout the lower level of the high school.

• Phase 2: Removal and disposal of about 14,800-square-feet of asbestos-containing floor tile and mastic from the first floor of the high school.

• Phase 3: Removal and disposal of about 26,000-square-feet of asbestos-containing floor tile and mastic from the second floor of the high school.

There will be a mandatory pre-bid conference for the project at 11 a.m. March 7 at Northern Lehigh High School, 1 Bulldog Lane, Slatington, PA 18080.

In November, the school board agreed to advertise the request for bids for the project.

The district previously received a $904,350 Public Schools Facility Improvement Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development for asbestos removal and flooring upgrades at its high school.

The funding, which was the third largest awarded in Lehigh County, represents the highest percentage of requested funds by a district in the region and will enable essential health and aesthetic upgrades in the high school.

The district received a grant to fund the removal of about 49,000-square-feet of asbestos-mastic tile and the installation of new epoxy flooring throughout the high school.

While the asbestos under the current flooring remains safely sealed beneath the tiles, the updates are a proactive approach to ensuring safety, Link said. Non-asbestos flooring areas, including ceramic tiles on the first floor, will remain untouched, he said.

Link said the district was exploring a complete flooring replacement.