Collierville approves $14.21 million contract to widen Shelby Drive to Highway 72

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen of the Town of Collierville on March 24 approved a $14,208,766.11 construction contract to widen Shelby Drive from Sycamore Road to U.S. Highway 72 and add sidewalks, bike lanes, median irrigation, lighting and utility work.

Town staff told the board the project will convert an existing two-lane rural roadway into a four-lane, median-divided street matching the high school frontage to the west. The work includes curb and gutter, sidewalks, bike lanes, street lighting, water and sewer improvements, replacement of two bridges and a major box culvert, and installation of irrigated medians. Staff recommended approval of the contract, which is a unit-price contract with a two-year timeline for completion.

The project has a long history with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT): the town entered a TDOT local programs contract for the work in April 2017; Fisher and Arnold provided environmental, design and right-of-way services beginning in 2018 and completed those services in October 2024; TDOT issued a notice to proceed for construction in December 2024. The town advertised the project for construction in January 2025; 16 vendors requested plans and bid documents.

City staff reported the lowest responsive bid was $14,208,766.11, about $900,000 below the next responsive bid from Acuff Enterprises. Of that amount, the town's responsibility is approximately $4,900,000; staff said the town will be reimbursed roughly $9,300,000. The town's share reflects 20% of roadway items and 100% of water, sewer and irrigation items, according to staff.

During questions from board members, staff confirmed the project will include median lighting “similar to the lights that are there,” and said preconstruction work is expected to begin in mid-May or early summer. A board member raised concerns about poor subsurface soils encountered on a prior nearby project and asked whether additional excavation and import of replacement material had been assumed; staff said quantities as bid assume excavation and replacement where needed but could not guarantee unforeseen conditions would not require additional work.

A motion to approve the award for the Shelby Drive improvements (agenda item 9A) carried on a roll-call vote. The board directed staff to proceed toward a preconstruction meeting and to return with any required contract documents and schedules.

Work will be staged in two main phases to maintain two-way traffic for most of the project: the south half will be built first to carry traffic while the north half is constructed. The town said the approach mirrors staging used on a separate Poplar Avenue widening project currently under construction.