Tampa tees up $10 million in transportation projects

The city of Tampa chose two contractors to complete road resurfacing and traffic and transportation improvements throughout the city for the next year.

Ajax Paving Industries of Florida and Preferred Materials will split a nearly $11 million budget for various roadway and intersection improvements that will meet demand for additional traffic, safety, pedestrian crossing requirements and Americans with Disabilities Act requirements on an as-needed basis.

Ajax and Preferred Materials were the two lowest bidders at $5.4 million and $5.5 million respectively.

Those quotes include costs for a variety of transportation-related expenses including labor and supplies for things like resurfacing, re-striping and intersection improvements.

Some projects include resurfacing in Hampton Terrace, Historic Hyde Park, Ridgewood Park, North Boulevard in North Tampa and portions of Himes Avenue, among others. The Hyde Park project includes improvements to the three-way intersection of Howard Avenue, Dekle Avenue and De Soto Avenue. Plans also include adding an additional left turn lane at Kennedy and Willow.

None of the projects have been assigned to either of the proposed contractors yet, but will be distributed between them.

The city typically contracts with a company for as-needed road projects every couple of years, but it is using two contractors this year in anticipation of $30 million in additional transportation revenue from the voter-approved transportation sales tax that went into effect this year.

If that revenue comes through the city would be able to maximize the number of projects it completes this year. If it doesn’t come through, the city would still move forward with necessary projects using both contractors.

Despite winning at the polls, the funding is uncertain because a Temple Terrace resident is challenging it.

The other bidders included C.W. Roberts Contracting, Hubbard Construction Company and Gator Grading and Paving with $6 million, $7 million and $9.1 million bids, respectively.

Both selected companies met the city’s women and minority business goals with 10 percent minority and woman-owned business participation with Ajax and 9.2 percent for Preferred Materials.

Tampa City Council is expected to approve the contracts at its meeting Thursday.