Bid OK’d for 4-lane stretch between Jonesboro and LR

— A long-sought direct fourlane route between central Arkansas and Jonesboro took another step forward Wednesday with the awarding of a $37.8 million contract to widen another section of Arkansas 226.

The contract was among 15 totaling $97.3 million the Arkansas Highway Commission awarded that also included five major projects in Northwest Arkansas.

Arkansas 226 will connect U.S. 49 near Jonesboro to U.S. 67 above Newport and provide the Craighead County seat of 67,263 a direct fourlane connection to the state capital.

The latest project involves the construction of two more lanes for 3.41 miles west on Arkansas 226 from its new connector to U.S. 49 at Gibson in Craighead County. Robertson Contractors Inc. of Poplar Bluff, Mo., was the low bidder. Eight other contractors submitted bids ranging from $38.4 million to $44.2 million.

Two other projects already have been started. A $15 million contract awarded in March 2010 widens four miles of Arkansas 226 east from U.S. 67 to what will be the Cash bypass. Last December, the commission awarded an $11.4 million contract to grade and build structures along the 1.8-mile route of the new connector which begins on Arkansas 226 about a mile west of Arkansas 349 and goes to Gibson.

A third contract to be awarded in November will widen 1.85 miles of Arkansas 226 west from the connector to the future Cash bypass. A contract for grading and structures for the 1.6-mile bypass likely will be awarded early next year, said Randy Ort, an Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department spokesman.

The project to add the base and surfacing for the connector likely will be awarded a contract in late 2013, he said.

The five Northwest Arkansas projects, the contract award and the low bidder:

Reconstruct Arkansas 5 alignment with climbing lanes between Little Raccoon Creek and Cove Prong Creek and a new bridge over Little Raccoon Creek in Stone County; $13.9 million; Pace Construction Co. LLC of St. Louis.

Widen to four lanes 1.28 miles of Arkansas 16 from Armstrong Avenue to Stonebridge Road in Fayetteville and add bicycle lanes and sidewalks; $6.21 million; Sweetser Construction Inc. of Fayetteville.

Widen to five lanes 1.255 miles of Arkansas 265 from south Springdale city limits to U.S. 412 and add bicycle lanes and sidewalks; $5.4 million; APAC-Central Inc. of Fayetteville.

Slide repairs on four locations on Interstate 540 between Chester in Crawford County and Arkansas 74, or the Winslow exit, in Washington County; $4.39 million; Kesser International Inc. of Little Rock.

Replace bridge on Arkansas 5 over North Fork River in Baxter County; $4.5 million; Pace Construction Co. of St. Louis.

Also Wednesday, the commission ratified the initial $225 million bond sale on Tuesday for the $1.2 billion interstate repair program that will finance about 75 projects on 455 miles of interstate. Voters approved renewal of a $575 million bond program last November. State highway officials expect the next sale to take place about a year from now. The first three projects in the program will be awarded contracts in November.

Arkansas, Pages 9 on 09/13/2012

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