In a story printed here, Knox TN Today reported that Knoxville City Council had unanimously approved a request by Mayor Indya Kincannon’s administration to invest $2.9 million in state and city funding to build 3,000 linear feet of sidewalk on the north side of Atlantic Avenue between Pershing Street and Broadway.
An eagle-eyed reader, Frank Gordon, responded, “That’s $1,000 per linear foot. That’s literally 400% more than what it should cost. … What am I missing here?”
Eric Vreeland, deputy communications director for the city, researched the bids at our request and provided this project cost breakdown: Atlantic Avenue Sidewalk – Bid Tabulation
The upshot was the city will invest roughly $323,345 in the project, or just over 10% of the total $2.9 million. That’s because KUB is reimbursing the city for almost $1.3 million in utility work. Of the remaining approximate $1.6 million, TDOT is paying 80 percent, so the city’s 20 percent match is $323,345, Vreeland wrote.
- McKinnon Construction Co. LLC – $2,903,342.35
- Southern Constructors Inc. – $3,162,829.50
- Whaley Construction LLC – $3,239,815.61
- Morgan Contracting Inc. – $3,981,013.00
The document breaks down the proposals from the four competitive bidders, and the city selected McKinnon Construction’s $2.9 million bid. It was $1 million under the highest bid of $3.9 million.
Vreeland continued, “As you can see, it’s not just simply laying some concrete – there are catch basins, stormwater infrastructure, utility relocations and tie-ins, wastewater and gas pipes, fire hydrants, curbs and gutters, ADA curb cubs and markings, steel reinforcements, railings, ramps, excavation work, seed, mulch and sodding.
“Pouring concrete into a form is one of the simplest elements of this. With all the utility nuances, this project is a fairly complicated endeavor.”
And so it is. Knox TN Today appreciates reader Gordon raising the question. And we appreciate the transparency and degree of detail the city applied to the bid process. And now we all know more about sidewalk costs than we meant to.