NC Turnpike Authority Set to Start $584M in Contracts

The North Carolina Turnpike Authority in Raleigh recently recommended issuing two Notices of Award on two separate design-build contracts totaling approximately $584 million.

The biggest contract, valued at $446.5 million, would go to Raleigh-Durham Roadbuilders, a joint venture of Archer Western Contractors of Atlanta and Granite Construction Co. of Tampa, for the design-build construction of the Western Wake Freeway in Wake County. According to the Authority, the joint venture’s bid was 12.2% below the engineer’s estimate of $508.7 million.

According to McGraw-Hill Construction, the new expressway would be a six-lane divided toll facility covering a total distance of 12.6 mi. The project’s start date was listed as October 2008, with completion scheduled for 2010.

The second design-build contract, valued at $137.5 million, would go to S.T. Wooten Design-Build Team of Wilson, N.C., for the Triangle Parkway in Wake and Durham counties. The contractor’s bid was an estimated 1.3% above the owner’s engineering estimate of $135.7 million.

The Triangle Parkway project will extend from N.C. Highway 540 to Interstate 40.

September Contracts: N.C. Down 31%; S.C. Drops 5%

Compared to the same period of a year ago, the value of new contracts signed in September for future construction fell by 31% overall in North Carolina, and by just 5% in South Carolina, according to the latest information from McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of Southeast Construction.

In North Carolina, two of the three construction sectors were negative for the month, as the state experienced an overall total of about $1.4 billion in new project starts, down from last September’s $2 billion. The nonresidential sector fell by 22% compared to last September, to total about $409.5 million. New residential contracts totaled $723.8 million, or 43% down from a year ago. The nonbuilding sector – which includes infrastructure projects – improved by 16% to total about $267.3 million.

For the year-to-date, North Carolina is now 20% behind last year’s pace. The residential sector is 36% behind last year, and totals roughly $7.8 billion in new starts so far. The nonresidential market is now 12% behind the ’07 pace, with about $4.7 billion in new starts. The nonbuilding sector’s $3.1 billion total to date is about 43% ahead of last year.

In South Carolina, September contracts were just 5% lower than the same period of a year ago, and totaled roughly $736.7 million. That compares to last September’s total of $773.6 million.

The nonresidential sector jumped by 62% compared to last September for a $348.8 million total. Residential fell 38% for a $306.5 million monthly total. The value of nonbuilding contracts increased by 22% compared to last September for a total of $81.4 million.

For the year-to-date, according to the latest revised information from McGraw-Hill Construction, the value of new starts in South Carolina is now 32% behind ‘07’s pace. Residential is 27% below last year, and totals roughly $4 billion to date. Despite the latest uptick, nonresidential is 53% behind last year, with a cumulative total of $2.7 billion. The nonbuilding segment is 59% ahead of last year’s pace, with a $1.65 billion total.

Walton Construction Awarded Parris Island Contract

The U.S. Department of the Navy-Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast has awarded the New Orleans division of Walton Construction Co. a $25.3 million contract to design and build the Parris Island Barracks Complex in Parris Island, S.C.

The project was scheduled to begin this past October and is targeted for completion by October 2010. The project includes a three-story barracks, headquarters training complex and central mechanical plant. It will include a Marine barracks living quarters and a training facility for all Marine recruits east of the Mississippi River. All buildings will require a LEED rating.

Click here for more Carolina News >>