The Arkansas Department of Transportation on Wednesday opened a low bid of almost $14.6 million for a project to build a new Interstate 40 interchange at Maumelle, the so-called third entrance to the city that has been sought for more than 20 years.
Maumelle is footing the bill for the project and a $4.3 million extension of Counts Massie Road to connect the interchange to the city, hoping to relieve congestion on Maumelle Boulevard, the only road into and out of the fast-growing Little Rock suburb.
Maumelle Mayor Mike Watson, who is stepping down at the end of the year after leading the city since 2006, welcomed the bid opening.
"It's slightly higher than I wanted it to be, but I think it's doable," he said. "It's kind of good to see some numbers close to our estimates. Hopefully, this project is about to become a reality."
The low bid by McGeorge Contracting Co. Inc. of Pine Bluff must be reviewed by Transportation Department officials for accuracy before a contract can be awarded.
McGeorge was one of four contractors that submitted bids for the project.
The McGeorge bid of $14,578,035.84 was only slightly higher than a $14,509,008.89 proposal by Phillips Hardy Inc. of Booneville, Mo.
But another factor in the bidding -- the number of days the contractors said they needed to complete the work -- provided McGeorge the winning margin. McGeorge said it would take 299 days to build the interchange while Phillips Hardy said it would take 720 days.
The department considers the days needed for completion to help speed up work on projects.
The Maumelle interchange was one of 11 projects on which the Transportation Department opened low bids worth $116.4 million on Wednesday.
The other projects included a $25.2 million railroad overpass on Arkansas 18 in east Jonesboro and a $53.2 million project to repair selected sections covering 21 miles on Interstates 40 and 540 east from the Oklahoma border.
The overpass would span the BNSF Railway crossing on Arkansas 18, also known as Highland Drive.
Up to 40 trains use the crossing daily. About 15,000 vehicles use Highland Drive daily.
"The mayor considers this one of the most important overpasses in the city because without it, there are instances when we can't get emergency vehicles to important places in a timely manner," said Bill Campbell, a spokesman for Jonesboro.
"We're all excited and eager for the [Transportation Department] to vet all the bid packages and award one."
Talk of a new interchange in Maumelle began in 1996 when the city's population was about 8,100, according to U.S. Census figures. Maumelle now boasts 18,900 residents.
Arkansas 100, which is locally known as Maumelle Boulevard, crosses the length of the city between Interstate 430 in North Little Rock and Interstate 40. It carries about 39,000 vehicles a day, according to the latest Transportation Department estimates.
Maumelle leaders also say they believe the interchange will make the city more attractive for commercial development.
The city annexed 240 acres that are adjacent to the site of the interchange.
Alicia Gillen, executive director of the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce, said the prospect of the interchange finally being built leaves her "excited about the future of Maumelle and the potential economic growth for the city."
The extension for the interchange from Counts Massie Road is called White Oak Crossing. It was completed last year at a cost of $4.3 million, according to Watson.
In March, Maumelle voters approved a one-half percent permanent sales tax for public safety, removing an unpopular community service fee, and another one-half percent temporary sales tax to back bonds to build the interchange.
The 20-year bonds worth $14 million were issued in August, Watson said. Metroplan, the regional long-range transportation planning agency, contributed another $1 million toward the interchange, he said.
Metro on 10/25/2018