The latest bids opened to build stations along Oahu’s rail line have come in more favorably than the previous group of bids that were opened about three months ago.

On Tuesday, rail officials opened bids from four companies vying to build the three western-most stations along the line, at East Kapolei, UH West Oahu and Hoopili.

They had estimated that the work would cost between $65 and $80 million.

The lowest bid, from Nan, Inc., came in at $56.1 million.

The highest, from Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co., came in at $73.4 million.

Firms Hensel Phelps and Watts Constructors also submitted bids, at $67.2 million and $66.5 million, respectively.

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation officials still have to ensure that Nan is the lowest “responsive and responsible” bidder before issuing that firm the contract.  As long as there’s no challenge to the low bid the contract could be awarded in the next several weeks, HART CEO Dan Grabauskas said immediately following the bid opening.

The rail agency has been scrambling to take measures to control costs after bids to build nine stations originally came in 60 percent over budget.

The bids opened Tuesday were the second set of three stations to be re-bid and opened after HART canceled the original bids.  From the prices they’re seeing, Grabauskas said the work to build those stations is shaping up to be 35 to 45 percent over the original budgeted amount, instead of 60 percent.

In March, rail officials opened bids to build three stations at Leeward Community College, Waipahu and West Loch. All of those bids came in over city estimates, with the cheapest one submitted by Hawaiian Dredging for $78.9 million.  That contract was finally awarded earlier month after Nan Inc., the second-lowest bidder for that set of stations, challenged Hawaiian Dredging’s bid with state commerce officials.