All transportation projects authorized under this article are public improvements and are subject to article five-a, chapter twenty-one of this code. Article twenty-two, chapter five of this code applies to all transportation projects authorized under this article. All construction, reconstruction, repair or improvement of transportation projects under this article will be awarded by competitive bidding. Competitive bids are to be solicited by the governmental entity sponsoring a transportation project for each construction contract in excess of $25,000 in total cost. Competitive bids must be solicited by the sponsoring governmental entity through publication of a Class II legal advertisement, as required by article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code, and the publication area is the county or municipality where the transportation facility is to be located. The advertisement must also be published as a Class II advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation published in the city of Charleston. The advertisement is to include the solicitations of sealed proposals for the construction of the transportation project, stating the time and place for the opening of bids. All bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Construction contracts must be awarded to the lowest qualified responsible bidder, who furnishes a sufficient performance or payment bond. The sponsoring governmental entity has the right to reject all bids and solicit new bids for the construction contract. Article one-c, chapter twenty-one of this code applies to the construction of all transportation projects approved under this article.