The contractor currently working on the Shea Boulevard widening appears to have an inside track to be awarded the Saguaro Boulevard reconstruction project.

Nesbitt Contracting submitted the lowest of 11 bids opened at Town Hall Nov. 22 for the Saguaro reconstruction project.

The bids are subject to verification with ultimate Town Council approval scheduled for the Nov. 20 regular session of the council.

Town Development Services Director Paul Mood said the consulting engineer, Kimley-Horn, will review all of the bids for accuracy and compile a bid tabulation.

Nesbitt’s bid totaled $6,770,217.53 for the road construction and traffic signal replacement at Saguaro and Palisades boulevards.

Sunland Asphalt submitted the next lowest bid at $7,025,000, followed by J Banicki ($7,353,562) and Markham Contracting ($7,388,664).

Both Mood and Town Manager Ken Buchanan were pleased with the bids received. The town should easily complete the project within the $8.2 million bond authorized by voters.

“The overall project cost will include construction, design, construction management, legal costs and utility relocations for which the town does not have prior rights,” Mood said.

The town also received several RFPs for the construction management portion of the project. Those are being reviewed separately with the town negotiating a professional services agreement for the project oversight.

The management portion includes an on-site manager, engineering inspector and support staff.

According to Buchanan, a tentative remaining schedule for the process includes council action to call for the sale of the bonds on Nov. 6; council consideration of awarding the contract for the construction on Nov. 20; council call for the sale of the bonds on Dec. 4; sale of the bonds on Dec. 18; with a notice to proceed with the project in January, which is expected to take nine months.

The town is also working with Maricopa County and the County Flood Control District on a flood control project on Ashbrook Wash, which will include new culvert construction at Saguaro Boulevard (see separate story).

This project will be coordinated with the Saguaro Boulevard reconstruction.