On Friday, April 25, 2014, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) opened bids for the Olympian Drive (Apollo to Lincoln) Project. The project received four bids as follows:
- Halverson Construction Co. Inc., Springfield, IL $7,420,914.65
- Stark Excavating, Inc., Bloomington, IL $7,399,305.36
- Otto Baum, Morton, IL $7,193,745.11
- Feutz Contractors Inc., Champaign, IL $7,092,062.46 (low bid)
The Engineer’s Estimate (Hanson) was $9,004,747.50. Feutz Contractors, Inc. is the apparent low bidder and is $1,912,685.04, or about 21.2% under the Engineer’s Estimate and $101,682.65 under the second lowest bidder. This project is funded with Illinois Jobs Now Funds, Illinois Commerce Commission Grade Crossing Protection Funds, and Federal Highway Funds.
IDOT has 45 days to award the project. Construction could begin in July or August depending on when the project is awarded. Construction is expected to last two full construction seasons. The new section of Olympian Drive between Apollo and Lincoln will consist of two 12 ft. lanes with 10 ft. shoulders and ditches for drainage and includes a new two lane bridge over the Illinois Central/Canadian National Railroad. Once completed, the new section of Olympian Drive will have a look that is similar to Olympian Drive between Prospect Avenue and Apollo Drive.