A project to widen a 1.7-mile section of U.S 270 west in Garland County for $22.6 million was among 58 projects worth $154.2 million on which the Arkansas Department of Transportation opened low bids this week.
Other projects included repaving a 15-mile section of Interstate 55 between Interstate 40 in West Memphis and Interstate 555 for $16.5 million, adding 5.2 miles of passing lanes on an 18-mile section of U.S. 79 between Stuttgart and Wabbaseka for $17.5 million and two separate contracts totaling $26.6 million to preserve and rehabilitate 37 bridges around the state.
Of the bids opened in a morning and afternoon session Wednesday, 28 worth $143.3 million were opened on state projects, 20 worth $7.4 million were opened on city street projects and 10 worth $3.7 million were opened on county road projects.
The U.S. 270 project will widen the section between Arkansas 277 and Fleetwood Drive in the Garland County community of Piney. The project will widen the two-lane road to four lanes, add a median and four-foot bicycle paths and sidewalks on either side, according to plans.
McGeorge Contracting Co. Inc. of Pine Bluff was the low bidder.
APAC-Tennessee Inc. of Jackson, Miss., was the low bidder on the I-55 project, which will require 154,208 square yards of asphalt, 127,404 gallons of tack coat and 328,444 linear feet of rumble strips on the shoulders, among other items.
The low bidder to add passing lanes on U.S. 79 was Phillips Hardy Inc. of Booneville, Mo.
Two separate contractors will be working on the bridge preservation and rehabilitation.
American Contracting & Services Inc. of Jeffersonville, Ind., was the low bidder on the bigger of the two contracts for $19.2 million. Capitol Paving and Construction LLC of Jefferson City, Mo., submitted the lowest bid for the other contract,, $7.3 million.
The bridges are small, many going over small tributaries and even ditches. All 37 bridges total 5.2 miles in length.
Both jobs involve a process called hydrodemolition, which uses high-pressure water to remove deteriorated road surfaces and provides an effective bonding surface for new material or coating.
The bridges for the more costly job are centered primarily in northeast Arkansas with a handful in north Arkansas. A component of the job also entails adding polymer overlays to 15 bridges.
The smaller contract is for bridges primarily in west-central Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas. The job also includes a handful of bridges in Dallas County in south Arkansas and Miller County in southwest Arkansas.