Depot Street Bridge project faces delays

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Depot Street Bridge project faces delays ROGUE RIVER - A $13 million-dollar project to replace the historic Depot Street Bridge is back on track, but a six-week delay could push the project back as much as a year. Engineering work on the project was put on hold in May while an Oregon Department of Transportation committee reviewed expense involved with replacing the 50-year-old span with a bigger one. Jackson County construction supervisor Mike Kuntz said if engineering crews are unable to get back on their original schedule by late July, the project could see significant delays. "We're just hopeful we can get things back on schedule or it's very likely the project could slip a year," Kuntz said. "We can only be in the stream at certain times due to fish, environmental concerns and weather." He said if engineers are able to finalize details by the end of July they would be able to start the construction by 2003 as scheduled. It is scheduled to be completed by 2006. Kuntz said delays with ODOT and funding from a federal bridge replacement program resulted from project cost estimates coming in higher than anticipated. Original estimates of $9 million did not account for an additional traffic lane. The old span is no longer wide enough to handle traffic capacity and does not meet basic standards. "Basically, funding is in place now," Kuntz said. The engineering team was notified Thursday that the project was no longer on hold.   Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.