Project to rebuild 9 miles of I-530

LR firm bids $65.5 million; 13 miles of I-40 set for overlay

Thursday, July 24, 2014

A project to rebuild about 9 miles of Interstate 530 in the Little Rock area received an apparent low bid of $65.5 million Wednesday.

The project was by far the largest of the 46 projects totaling $105.43 million on which the state Highway Commission opened bids. A bid isn't final until highway officials review it for accuracy.

The I-530 project, between Interstate 30 and Bingham Road, was let as part of the department's interstate repair program. Approved by voters in 2011, the program comprises 75 projects that will repair 458 miles of roadway at an estimated cost of $1.2 billion.

The low bid was from Redstone Construction Group Inc. of Little Rock. Of the three bidders, the company also committed to completing the work in the least amount of time -- 399 days -- or about 13 months.

The next lowest bid was from McGeorge Contracting Co. Inc. of Pine Bluff, which said it could do the work for $75.2 million and in 450 days. Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. of Fort Worth bid $84.3 million and 575 days.

The project also includes rehabilitating four bridges and installing a cable safety fence.

The project likely will begin within a month, said Randy Ort, a spokesman for the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department.

It is the second time this year that the agency sought bids on the project. The first time the project received no bids. Agency officials tweaked the contract provisions, including placing a cap on disincentives.

Bids also were opened Wednesday to overlay 13 miles of Interstate 40 between U.S. 64 and Mill Creek Road in Johnson and Pope counties. Blackstone Construction LLC of Russellville submitted the apparent low bid of $8.7 million. The only other bidder, Forsgren Inc. of Fort Smith, said it could do the work for $11 million.

Under the interstate repair program, five projects totaling 56 miles and $113 million have been completed. Another 14 projects on 93 miles and worth $260 million are under construction, according to department figures.

Another six projects on 22 miles and worth an estimated $183 million are scheduled to be awarded contracts this year.

In the 2015-22 period, another 48 projects on 265 miles are to be awarded contracts worth an estimated $640 million.

Metro on 07/24/2014