$2M Rice extension going west at U.S. 51

$2M Rice extension going west at U.S. 51

Posted

RIDGELAND — A $2 million plan to extend Rice Road west across U.S. 51 establishing another entrance into to the new City Center complex moved closer to reality last week after officials accepted a bid.

Mike McCollum, public works director, said now that bids have been received and the low bid approved, Hemphill Construction still has documents to get together, and they still have to schedule a pre-construction meeting. 

McCollum said he hopes the project can get underway in the first 15 days of April.

“We have not had our pre-construction meeting, but I think this project is going to happen pretty quick,” McCollum said.

The low bid was awarded to Hemphill Construction, a Florence based operation, that submitted a bid of $2,095,667.45 for the project. 

Five companies submitted bids. Aldermen voted unanimously, 7-0, to award Hemphill the contract.

McCollum resent the bids to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen for approval at the Feb. 2 meeting and noted that the accepted low bid was under their projected cost for the project.

All other bids were over $2.3 million with the second-lowest bid being Flowood’s Clear River Construction with $2,301,821.68, and a high bid of $2,382,148.95 from John McGee Construction in Lake.

The other high bids came from Southern Rock in Brandon and Site Master’s Construction in Flowood. 

Bids were opened at City Hall at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26. 

The project will extend Rice Road across U.S. 51 and produce an entrance to the City Center complex in what is designated as the west parking lot. 

Mayor Gene F. McGee said that the road extension will provide an alternate entrance to City Center to the north of the complex.

“This is really just another phase of development of the City Center Project,” McGee said. “We are excited to see it completed.”

The project will be funded by monies from just under $20 million in bonds issued to fund major capital projects in 2019.

The $15.9-million, 30,000-square foot Ridgeland City Hall at School Street and U.S. 51 opened on the first of this month. 

Last Tuesday’s meeting was one of the first major business actions the city has taken in the long-planned building.

The city has a dedication and flag-raising ceremony scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Valentine's Day, Feb. 14.

The building has been under construction since August 2019. 

Drawings were presented to the board as far back as 2014 but city officials had been talking about the project for longer than that. 

The master plan, which includes the City Hall, was developed and approved in 2008.






Powered by Creative Circle Media Solutions