Collierville board awards $14.2 million contract to widen Shelby Drive to Highway 72

The Collierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to award a $14,208,766.11 contract to Madden Phillips to widen Shelby Drive from Sycamore Road to U.S. Highway 72, the board approved at its meeting on March 24, 2025. The town’s portion of the project is roughly $4.9 million; TDOT will reimburse the remainder under a local programs agreement, the town engineer said.

The project will convert the existing two‑lane rural road to a four‑lane, median‑divided facility with curb and gutter, sidewalks, bike lanes, street lighting, upgraded water and sewer lines, irrigated medians and two bridge replacements. Tim Guatney, Collierville’s deputy town engineer, told the board the design and right‑of‑way work were completed in October 2024 and TDOT issued a notice to proceed for construction in December 2024.

Guatney said the work will be staged in two main phases so two‑way traffic can be maintained for most of the project: the south half will be constructed first (future eastbound lanes), then traffic will be shifted while the north half is built. He said a preconstruction meeting is expected in April with work beginning in mid‑May to early summer. "We hope to have a pre con by the April, pre construction meeting by the April, so looking at mid May to this summer, early summer," Guatney said.

Bids were opened for the unit‑price contract; Madden Phillips submitted the lowest responsive bid at $14,208,766.11, about $900,000 lower than the next responsive bidder, ACUF Enterprises. According to staff, the town’s responsibility is calculated as 20% of roadway items plus 100% of water, sewer and irrigation items; the town will be reimbursed for the remaining eligible roadway costs under the TDOT local programs contract.

Board members asked about lighting, schedule and subsurface conditions. When asked whether median lighting will extend to Highway 72, Guatney replied, "Yes." In response to concerns about poor soils encountered on prior nearby work, Guatney said the bid quantities assume excavation and replacement where needed but added he could not guarantee unknown conditions would not require additional work.

The board approved the contract by roll call: Jordan — yes; Marshall — yes; Stamps — yes; Robbins — yes; Hall — yes; Mayor Frasier — yes. The contract is a two‑year timeline for completion and is a unit‑price agreement.