Bids came in under budget for Cookeville’s Monument sign project in partnership with Tennessee Tech.
Economic and Community Development Director Jon Ward said a bid of some $720,000 for two signs sits in the ballpark of the original estimated project cost. He said that price would be split with Tennessee Tech. Ward said the signs will be installed at I-40 exits on Willow Avenue and Jefferson Avenue.
“The applied, the seals for the signs are being procured outside of the bid and we still don’t have those numbers for those,” Ward said. “I’ve, we’ve reached out to a sign company that’s done some work for Up City Seals for us, so that would be the seals that go on the front.”
City Manager James Mills said the city is going for a bronze look for those seals, rather than color. He said the city has been working on this project for years now and he hopes to have it under construction in the next month.
“I want to recognize Jon for all his hard work on this,” Mills said. “He’s stayed on this and dogged it until we’ve got it, hopefully, under construction here.”
Ward said the signs are part of a T-DOT Monument Sign Program and will read “Cookeville, Home of Tennessee Tech.” The city received final approval in March after satisfying a list of reviews and requirements needed to get approval for a project like this around busy interstate exchanges.
The low bid from HD Homes LLC is accompanied by one other bid of some $846,000 from Lee Adcock Construction Company. Ward said the city estimated some $650,000 for the project and recommended accepting the low bid. Cookeville City Council will vote on Thursday.
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