Shelby County committee advances nearly $3 million TDOT-backed contract to repair Collierville Arlington Road overflow bridge

A Shelby County committee on Oct. 1 recommended approval of a contract for the Collierville Arlington Road bridge rehabilitation, awarding Bell and Associates Construction LLC the work with a project total near $2.998 million and a separate $200,000 extra-work allowance.

"This item is a bridge rehabilitation project on Collierville Arlington Road to span a Wolf River overflow area in Southeast Shelby County," said Jim Crook, project engineer for the Shelby County Engineering Department, describing a seven-span structure built in 1959 that will remain open to traffic during a roughly 12-month construction schedule. "We will have to install temporary traffic signals at each end of the bridge to alternate direction to allow the contractor access to each side of the bridge."

The resolution’s caption lists a contract amount of $2,798,090 with an extra-work allowance of $200,000 for a combined figure the county recorded in committee materials as $2,998,090; a later appropriation line in the caption lists $2,998,009.90. County staff said TDOT will cost-share the project at a 98% state / 2% local split, with the county local share funded through state gas-tax funds.

Commissioner David C. Bradford Jr. sponsored the item; the clerk reported aye votes from Commissioners Mills and Bradford and an abstention from Commissioner Brooks. The committee determined the item would go forward with a favorable recommendation.

Why it matters: the project addresses a Wolf River overflow span in southeast Shelby County on a route used by local drivers. Construction plans emphasize keeping the bridge open to traffic outside of construction hours to reduce disruption.

What’s next: the commission will consider the full contract and appropriation in subsequent meetings; county procurement and TDOT concurrence on final figures will be recorded before contract execution.