Contracts awarded for new batch of economic recovery projects
Nine projects produce cost savings of $4.3 million
July 15, 2009
PHOENIX – The second round of highway projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act were awarded construction contracts today by the State Transportation Board. The board met during a special meeting to formally approve the new contracts.
Nine ARRA projects received contracts today. Nearly all bids for these projects were well under estimates by the Arizona Department of Transportation, producing an estimated cost savings totaling $4.3 million. The cost savings are attributed to a current trend of low bids for projects and a decrease in materials costs.
With the board’s action today, there are now a total of 15 stimulus-funded projects statewide prepared to begin construction as soon as this summer. So far, these projects under contract have yielded an estimated $7.3 million savings to ADOT, allowing investment in additional stimulus work around the state.
The nine ARRA projects approved today are:
- I-40: Black Creek Bridges in Apache County (bridge rehabilitation)
Cost savings: $10,976
Contractor: Bison Contracting Co., Inc.
Contract amount: $365,000
- State Route 83: Sonoita North in Santa Cruz County (pavement preservation)
Cost savings: $34,481
Contractor: Granite Construction Company
Contract amount: $1,873,811
- US 191: South of Chinle in Apache County (pavement preservation)
Contractor: Granite Construction Company
Contract amount: $2,512,165
- US 191: Sunsites at High Street in Cochise County (pavement widening)
Cost savings: $52,611.84
Contractor: CKC Construction & Materials, LLC
Contract amount: $336,511.16
- I-10: East Benson to Johnson Road in Cochise County (pavement preservation)
Cost savings: $1,774,237.83
Contractor: FNF Construction, Inc.
Contract amount: $5,541,928.17
- I-40: Walnut Canyon in Coconino County (roadway reconstruction)
Cost savings: $1,580,107.52
Contractor: C.S. & W. Contractors, Inc.
Contract amount: $5,808,917.48
- I-40: Railroad Avenue to Rattlesnake Wash in Mohave County (safety fence replacement)
Cost savings: $107,330.52
Contractor: R.K. Sanders, Inc.
Contract amount: $406,375.48
- State Route 69: I-17 to Big Bug Creek in Yavapai County (pavement preservation)
Cost savings: $488,653
Contractor: Fann Contracting, Inc.
Contract amount: $1,899,987
- State Route 80: Double Adobe to Douglas (safety fence replacement)
Cost savings: $269,172.75
Contractor: D & O Contractors, Inc.
Contract amount: $334,303.25
In action May 15, the Transportation Board approved six ARRA projects. A total of 36 ARRA projects have been advertised for bids. The remaining five will be advertised during the next few weeks. Of the 36 that have been advertised, 25 have gone through the bid opening process and have received bids from construction companies. Once an apparent low bidder is determined for each project, the bid is verified by ADOT. The State Transportation Board then formally approves construction contracts during its regular monthly meetings.
The bid process has resulted in a considerable cost savings for ADOT, as the struggling economy works in favor of lower bids for projects. Nearly all of the advertised ARRA projects are coming in under ADOT estimates. The 25 projects that have received apparent low bids have come in at a total of $83 million during the bid process, resulting in a cost savings of nearly $17 million to date.
ADOT’s economic recovery projects bring two major benefits to the state that will be felt by all Arizonans. They are designed to enhance our state highway system to provide wider and safer roadways that handle increased capacity and cut down on congestion. And just as importantly, these projects are also designed to put thousands of Arizonans back to work -- more than 6,000 direct construction jobs will be created or sustained through these ARRA projects.
ADOT will receive an estimated $350 million in ARRA funds for highway projects around the state. Here’s how the funds will be distributed: Maricopa County will receive $130 million for five projects, Pima County will receive $46 million for eight projects, and the 13 other counties in Greater Arizona will receive $175 million for 28 projects.
For more information about ADOT’s ARRA projects, log on to www.azdot.gov/recovery.
