I-26 bids for Asheville section come in hundreds of millions over NCDOT estimates
ASHEVILLE - Three bids for the largest section of the I-26 Connector project were announced Feb. 20 by the N.C. Department of Transportation, and each came in higher than expected, which could end up increasing the projected cost of the project.
NCDOT spokesperson David Uchiyama said all of the opened bids were "not within the acceptable range of the NCDOT’s engineer’s estimate."
The bids were for Section B and Section D of the I-26 Connector project, which are the "design-build" sections of the project. The NCDOT design build process includes the shortlisting of contractors and then determining the best value of designs based on contractor proposals, according to the NCDOT Design-Build Program website.
Section B is the largest and most expensive part of the project that will connect I-26 in southwest Asheville to U.S. 19/23/70 in northwest Asheville — cutting out highway traffic from Patton Avenue and creating new connections over the French Broad north of the Bowen Bridge.
Of the bids opened, a nearly $1.9 billion bid was submitted by Flatiron-United Joint Venture — nearly double the estimated cost for the two sections. The lowest bid, from Archer-Wright Joint Venture, was around $188 million over the estimated cost. Here are the bids for the project:
Flatiron Construction and United Infrastructure Joint Venture: $1.9 billion
Balfour-Beatty Infrastructure, Inc: $1.3 billion
Archer Western and Wright Infrastructure Joint Venture: $1.1 billion
More: Asheville I-26 contract award incoming. What strategies will help protect neighborhoods?
Section B and D make up most of the project.
For downtown Asheville, these two sections of the project could reshape its "western gateway."
Section B, which runs from Haywood Road in West Asheville and crosses the French Broad to connect to U.S. 19/23/70 and U.S. 240. This section is estimated to cost $884 million, making it the most expensive part of the I-26 Connector project, according to NCDOT estimates.
Section D includes improvements along Riverside Drive from Hill Street to Broadway Street. This section will cost $31.5 million.
These two sections of the I-26 Connector project have a projected cost of $916 million, making up nearly two-thirds of the connectors estimated $1.4 billion cost, according to the NCDOT 2024-2033 State Transportation Improvement Program.
Archer-Wright Joint Venture, which submitted the lowest of the three bids, is currently on the road-widening project of I-26 from Airport Road to U.S. 64.
The Citizen Times reached out to all three companies for comment but did not hear back prior to deadline.
Other sections to see bids
Three other sections will require contract work to complete the 7-mile-long project. Those sections including the following:
Section AA/AB: Upgrades I-240 from the I-26/I-240 interchange with I-40 to Haywood Road.
Section AC: Includes initial improvements at the I-26/I-40/I-240 interchange and along I-40 between the I-26/I-40/I-240 and U.S. 19/23/70.
Section C: Improvements to the I-40 Interchanges with Smokey Park Highway, I-26/I-240 and Brevard Road.
In November, NCDOT Engineer David Moneyham told the Citizen Times that Section AA/AB is expected to see bids opened in April.
What are the next steps?
The I-26 Connector project has been in the works since 1989, but the project has picked up in recent years as plans have become more detailed.
Discussion of a "boulevard-style Bowen Bridge" has been a frequent topic for city council members and those in the community looking to find a middle-ground between a deluge of heavily trafficked, spaghetti-like highway exchanges and a prettier, more organized Bowen Bridge to downtown.
Recently, City Council called on NCDOT to reduce the speed limit to 25 mph for Patton Avenue as a part of the I-26 Connector project. Current plans for the I-26 connector include converting the current interchange between the Bowen Bridge and downtown into a new intersection with traffic signals.
In Feb. 2023, Asheville City Council previously approved $5.8 million to enhance aesthetic improvements along Patton Avenue, Bowen Bridge and other roads included in the I-26 Connector plan.
However, the company selected for the project will need to be chosen before a final design and price is announced.
"As the design-build process allows, the department intends to work with all three contractors to obtain their best and final offers on the project," Uchiyama told the Citizen Times.
More: I-26 Connector: Asheville calls for reduced speed limit on part of Patton Avenue
More: Asheville rescinds $1.2 million affordable housing loan as developer makes Airbnb pivot
Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at [email protected]. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: I-26 bids for Asheville section come in at least $188M over estimate
