Marion Berry Trail Project Receives $2.38 Million Low Bid, Exceeding Estimate

JONESBORO — The lowest construction bid for a protected walking and biking path along Marion Berry Parkway has come in at $2.38 million, exceeding the city’s initial estimate by $884,000.

City records show White River Materials submitted the lowest bid of $2,383,947.24 among four offers for the project. Other bids ranged from $2.81 million to $3.36 million. Even with optional cuts offered by White River, the project cost would still total nearly $1.96 million. The Jonesboro Ledger was first to report the bid results.

The project aims to improve connectivity between downtown Jonesboro and Arkansas State University by adding a shared-use path and enhanced sidewalks along Marion Berry Parkway, stretching from Washington Avenue to Aggie Road. It includes bridge work, lane adjustments, drainage improvements, and decorative lighting.

White River proposed two cost-reduction options. One would save $338,354.56 by removing certain lighting fixtures and associated infrastructure while retaining fixtures over Arkansas State University logo plaques and a control cabinet. The other option, involving a paving modification, would save $87,220.21. If both deductions are applied, the bid would drop to $1,958,372.47.

The city originally estimated the project would cost $1.5 million during the design phase in December 2024, according to Mayor Harold Copenhaver. By August 2026, Engineering Director Craig Light shared with a council committee that the cost estimate had risen to $1.7 million but suggested bid options could reduce it below $1.5 million. However, even with both cost-saving measures, the October 2026 low bid exceeds this figure by approximately $258,000.

Part of the cost increase may be linked to lighting additions requested by Arkansas State University. In a September 2025 proposal, project engineer Pickering Firm outlined the university’s request for accent lighting along the bridge barriers, including lighting for its logo plaques. The design was also modified to replace continuous concrete barriers with grass buffers in some areas and to include stairs at the university’s request. The council approved design adjustments in October 2025.

Construction of decorative lighting, control cabinets, and plaques was priced at about $827,000 in the latest bid. However, public records do not definitively link this cost to the overall increase since the 2024 estimate.

The Arkansas Department of Transportation has awarded a $500,000 federal grant for the project. Jonesboro also allocated $100,000 in August for construction administration and inspections, separate from the construction bid.

The city’s bidding timeline calls for a construction award within 60 days of the bid opening on October 21, 2026, putting the deadline around December 20. As of now, city records do not show a formal award for construction.