By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
Low bid for the Interstate 40/Frisco Road interchange project came in more than $2.7 million below expected.
The Oklahoma Transportation Commission on June 18 opened bids from five contractors for the construction of a new I-40 interchange at Frisco Road (mile marker 135), one mile west of Garth Brooks Boulevard.
Low bidder was Sherwood Construction of Tulsa, which submitted a $14,061,010.28 bid. That’s 84 percent of the engineer’s $16,738,908.02 estimate.
“This is wonderful,” Yukon Mayor Shelli Selby said. “Coming in low is always a blessing – but in these times, this is great news.
“We are ready to get started and move forward.”
Three other contractors also submitted bids below the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s estimate – Duit Construction Co. ($14,494,704.95), Frontier Bridge Inc. ($15,177,957.50) and Allen Contracting Inc./Shell Construction Inc. ($15,325,676.84).
One contractor’s bid came in above the estimate – Manhattan Road & Bridge Co. ($17,399,900).
“The project is tentatively scheduled for consideration at the July 6 Oklahoma Transportation Commission meeting,” ODOT spokeswoman Lisa Shearer-Salim said.
Some 320 calendar days are allotted for the winning bidder to build the new interchange, according to ODOT documents.
District 3 Canadian County Commissioner Jack Stewart said the competitive bids were evidently the result of hungry contractors seeking an attractive large construction project.
“When you have that many companies submitting bids, you will normally have great prices,” Stewart said. “That appears to be the case this time.”
‘JOINT’ PROJECT
The state transportation project is in partnership with the City of Yukon and the Federal Highway Administration, which must approve new interstate access.
ODOT funding will cover 65 percent and Yukon will fund 35 percent of the grade, drain, surface, and bridge project. Triad Design Group was the project design company.
Having this new I-40 interchange at Frisco Road will help alleviate traffic congestion at the Garth Brooks Boulevard interchange and the North Cimarron Road interchange, according to Shearer-Salim.
“The project also will improve safety by providing additional access to the nearby hospital (Integris Canadian Valley) and commercial development,” she said.
Nearly 46,000 is the average traffic count along I-40 near the site of the future interchange, according to Shearer-Salim.
City of Yukon officials expect considerable development along Frisco Road as construction proceeds on the new interchange; the City has widened to four lanes Frisco Road north of I-40 to State Highway 66 (Main Street).
Yukon leaders and developers envision hotels, restaurants and other sales tax-generating retailers to build along Frisco Road in Yukon city limits.
