Millstone Bangert Inc., the general contractor on the east Highway 100 widening project from Washington to Interstate 44, is likely to be awarded the contract for the next phase scheduled to be built this spring and summer.
The construction company submitted the apparent low bid of $6,233,489.97 to add two westbound lanes and make other improvements from Highway 47 to west of High Street.
Eight construction firms submitted bids which were opened last Friday.
Millstone Bangert’s bid is much lower than the construction estimate of $7,345,000 programmed in MoDOT’s five-year state transportation plan for the project.
“It was a good surprise,” Judy Wagner, MoDOT area engineer, said during Monday’s meeting of the Washington Area Highway Transportation Committee.
“Once we get concurrence from the city, we will present it to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission next Wednesday,” Wagner said. She said she expects the commission to award the contract to Millstone Bangert.
The company’s bid is for concrete pavement on the two westbound lanes to be built to the north of the current lanes.
K.J. Unnerstall Construction Company submitted a lower bid of $6,224,933, but that called for asphalt pavement. Wagner said with additional maintenance costs of $190,000 over the life of the asphalt surface added in, MoDOT calculated Unnerstall’s bid at $6,414,933.
Once the contract is awarded, MoDOT proposes to issue a notice to proceed April 8. The contract completion date is Sept. 20, 2013.
She said the final construction total will be higher due to an anticipated change order involving utilities, but the project still is expected to be completed under budget.
Wagner said MoDOT closed last week on the last parcel of right of way needed for the project.
When asked about continuing the widening project further west to Pottery Road, Wagner said there is always the “potential” to roll over any savings to extend the improvements farther west.
Money left over from the widening project to the east was rolled over for this next phase, she noted.
The cost of the improvement is being shared between the city and MoDOT.
The city is funding its share of the 50-50 project out of the half-cent transportation sales tax approved by voters six years ago.
The plan is to widen Highway 100 from two to five lanes — four traffic lanes and one center turn lane — add dual left turn lanes on Route A/Jefferson Street and add pedestrian facilities and signalized intersections that comply with federal ADA standards.
All of the widening is proposed to be done on the north side of the highway which is expected to result in some cost savings.
Other Bids
Other companies that submitted bids were:
Gershenson Construction Co. Inc., $6,339,220; Phillips Grading and Construction Inc., $6,482,195.06; Kolb Grading LLC, $6,508,297.09; Vee-Jay Cement Contracting Co. Inc., $6,843,260.89; Fred Weber Inc., $7,213,952.39; and Pavement Solutions LLC, $7,397,024.52.
