MONROE - Work on the Wisconsin 11 overpass at Wis. 69 already is 18 days behind schedule, so what's another day?
The reconstruction project might not be completed until Thursday, according to an engineer from the firm hired to oversee the project. The work started Sept. 14 and was expected to take 64 days to complete. But rainy conditions in October pushed the completion date past the Oct. 31 project deadline, said Carrie Johnson, engineer with Fehr-Graham & Associates, Tuesday.
Rain does not allow the construction contractor to clear pavement, repair reinforcing bars or pour new concrete, she said.
"It's just going to be a muddy hole, they also can't pour (cement) because it will affect the surface," Johnson said.
Because the state Department of Transportation set a deadline of Thursday to have all work completed and traffic cones removed, the contractor will be fined a percentage of its contract for each day the equipment still is on scene after the deadline, she said.
There still is a minor amount of work to do, including using machinery to remove temporary painted road markings. The cold weather could slow that process because the machine must be heated to remove the paint, Johnson said.
"There is at least one, if not more than one, that needs to be taken off," she said.
Most of the temporary striping was removed Monday, Johnson said.
In mid-October, Zenith Tech completed removing two inches of road surface on the overpass and replaced it with new pavement. Construction workers also installed new asphalt approaches.
At that time, the contractor focused construction on the other two traffic lanes to remove two inches of pavement and make necessary repairs to reinforcing bars before pouring new concrete, which is the work now being completed.
The reconstruction project might not be completed until Thursday, according to an engineer from the firm hired to oversee the project. The work started Sept. 14 and was expected to take 64 days to complete. But rainy conditions in October pushed the completion date past the Oct. 31 project deadline, said Carrie Johnson, engineer with Fehr-Graham & Associates, Tuesday.
Rain does not allow the construction contractor to clear pavement, repair reinforcing bars or pour new concrete, she said.
"It's just going to be a muddy hole, they also can't pour (cement) because it will affect the surface," Johnson said.
Because the state Department of Transportation set a deadline of Thursday to have all work completed and traffic cones removed, the contractor will be fined a percentage of its contract for each day the equipment still is on scene after the deadline, she said.
There still is a minor amount of work to do, including using machinery to remove temporary painted road markings. The cold weather could slow that process because the machine must be heated to remove the paint, Johnson said.
"There is at least one, if not more than one, that needs to be taken off," she said.
Most of the temporary striping was removed Monday, Johnson said.
In mid-October, Zenith Tech completed removing two inches of road surface on the overpass and replaced it with new pavement. Construction workers also installed new asphalt approaches.
At that time, the contractor focused construction on the other two traffic lanes to remove two inches of pavement and make necessary repairs to reinforcing bars before pouring new concrete, which is the work now being completed.