LITTLE ROCK -- The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department is set to open bids on 47 road and bridge projects totaling an estimated $303 million.
Three of the projects are expected to account for nearly two-thirds of the total cost, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/1m8R2yt ) reported. The Broadway Bridge replacement and 17-mile Interstate 40 rehabilitation are expected to exceed $80 million, while the third high-profile project, the widening of Interstate 40 between North Little Rock and Conway, is estimated to cost $30 million or more.
Electronic bids will be opened by department officials in two separate morning and afternoon sessions on Wednesday.
The previous high for a bid letting was more than $222 million in November 2012, according to Danny Straessle, a spokesman for the agency. That project included a nearly $79 million reconstruction of a section of Interstate 540 in the Fort Smith area.
In 2011 and 2012, voters approved of two major highway construction programs that will result in almost $3 billion of work throughout the next several years.
"It's great that the people of the state decided we could meet those needs," said Roger Hedgecock, executive vice president of the Arkansas chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America. "Frankly, we are the envy of other states because we have chosen to go our own way because the federal government can't get its act together."
Eight out of the 11 contractors who have purchased plans for the Broadway Bridge project are from out of state, indicating a high level of interest that will likely lead them to submit bids, according to state highway officials.
"We are not sure if this letting is the high-water mark," Straessle said. "We will have other lettings with potentially higher construction costs. In December we will let the first portion of the Springdale Bypass. It's estimated to be as high as $120 million."
State Desk on 09/16/2014