Overpass contractor chosen, bid far below estimate

Coming in more than $5 million under project estimates, Ames Construction was chosen as the general contractor to build an overpass across the Union Pacific tracks at State Route 347.

Based in Scottsdale, Ames has 750 days to complete the project. Its winning bid was $23.1 million.

The State Transportation Board selected the contractor at its Sept. 15 meeting in Tuba City. Because the bid was 18.5 percent under the department’s estimate of $28.3 million, it was pulled off the consent agenda for a full discussion before its approval.

Mayor Christian Price said a “very tentative” date of Nov. 20 has been scheduled for the formal groundbreaking, but those arrangements are still in flux.

Other companies that bid on the project were Pulice Construction, Haydon Building Corporation, J. Banicki Construction (all in Phoenix and all under the state’s estimate), Coffman Specialties of San Diego, which was about $300,000 over the estimate, and FNF Construction of Tempe, which was almost $1 million over the estimate.

The project will create a six-lane overpass from Hathaway Avenue south to Desert Cedars Drive. It includes the realignment of Honeycutt Road, Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway and Honeycutt Avenue.

ADOT described the work as “constructing bridges, grading, aggregate base and asphaltic concrete, retaining walls, pipe culverts, curb and gutter, raised medians, sidewalks, and fencing. Additional work includes striping, signing, lighting, landscaping, traffic signals, and related work.”

Last year, Ames Construction completed the Hell Canyon Bridge on State Route 89 in Yavapai County. Ames is also working on the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway.