LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A bidder who claims to have submitted the best deal for the downtown portion of the Ohio River Bridges project has had its challenge denied by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

The Courier-Journal (http://cjky.it/15JJOpq ) reports that Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock denied the protest from a joint venture of three construction firms that was a finalist for the work. The group hasn't decided whether it will appeal the decision in court.

The group is led by Skanska USA Civil Southeast Inc. of Virginia Beach, Va.; Flatiron Constructors Inc., of Firestone, Colo.; and Dragados USA Inc. of New York.

A Transportation Cabinet committee selected Walsh Construction of Chicago in November based on a formula that included overall cost and construction schedule. The Skanska group claims numerous items in the proposal were scored erroneously.