March 26, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
The Tennessee Department of Transportation opened bids this morning (Friday) for the long awaited US Highway 70 Improvement Project from Alexandria to Liberty.
Twin K. Contractors, Inc. was the apparent low bidder for the reconstruction project at $30,875,122 which includes the grading, drainage, construction of retaining walls and paving on US 70 (State Route 26) from near State Route 53 at Alexandria to near State Route 96 at Liberty. The project is 4.1 miles long and the completion date is on or before June 30, 2024.
Four other companies submitted bids including Rogers Group, Inc. at $31,207,736, Jones Brothers Contractors, LLC at $31,721, 295, Eutaw Construction Company, Inc at $34,721,105, and Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC at $41,218,220.
TDOT has not yet awarded the contract and no date has been set for start of construction.
“Twin K. Contractors Inc. is the apparent low bidder. Of course, this does not mean that the contract will be immediately awarded. When we open bids on a project and determine the apparent low bidder, our headquarters construction office reviews the bid to check for any irregularities and to determine if everything is in order before they officially award the contract. They have up to 30 days from the bid opening to do this. If everything checks out, then the project will be officially awarded to the contractor and all the contract-related documentation will be executed, which takes some time. Shortly after that, we will have a preconstruction conference to discuss the project in general, including the contractor’s approach to the project and the timetable of the project. In attendance at the preconstruction conference will be TDOT construction, environmental, utility, and safety personnel along with the contractor and other affected parties (like utility companies). After the preconstruction conference, the contractor is free to begin work on the project,” said Jennifer Flynn, Region 2 Community Relations Officer.
According to TDOT, the majority of the project will consist of the following:
5 – 12’ lanes (2 lanes each direction, continuous center turning lane)
12’ outside shoulders (10’ paved + 2’ stone) each side
1000’ of project (@ SR-53 intersection)
5 – 12’ lanes
4’ paved shoulders, curb and gutter, sidewalk
2 retaining walls –
370’ long (avg 10’ tall)
100’ long (avg 7’ tall)
246,000 cubic yards of excavation
150,000 tons of base stone
88,000 tons of asphalt
8,300 ft of pipe
7 box culverts