UPDATE II: I got word today that the contractor DID NOT send out a letter to neighboring businesses (but were given a verbal notice). There also seems to be a denial about the time line and why that timeline has moved (From the Public Works Department);
Project update – The extensive wet weather of 2019 and a private utility relocation issue, has the project tracking 8-12 weeks behind schedule. The project team is working to see if segments of the remaining project can be accelerated to make up for some of the delays noted in 2019. Our goal is to open the road to traffic this year (2020).
Funny, according to this post on the city website; Â
Completion Date: July 2021
That’s more like 8 months overdue and not 8 weeks. The original promise date was November 2020. So which is it? And why is it?
UPDATE: FF Video to 7:40
I heard a rumor today that the general contractor sent a letter to neighboring businesses that there could be delays in the project. The supposed problem is the new part of the project is NOT matching up with the I-229 overpass.
There of course are some unknowns here;
• Who got the letter (and does it exist)?
• Why is the general contractor sending it out (did they send it or did the city or state DOT)?
• Who’s fault is it? The Engineers? The Contractor? The city? The state? The railroad?
• If this is true, will taxpayers be on the hook?
This is around a $32 million dollar project. If there is a major SNAFU, who will be on the hook? If this is happening, maybe we should call this the ‘Bunker Ramp Bridge’.
Stay tuned. I have a feeling others in the local MSM have been sniffing around.
“even if we knew that the bridge was two feet away from where it’s supposed to be, we would vote to have it built wrong again.”–pth and the city council.
LMFAO!
In 2010, when they built the new bridge on 41st across the Sioux River, I heard that bridge is lower than it is suppose to be and might not technically meet federal requirements to compliment the “500 Year” flood requirements of the new dike, which was built perpendicular to the bridge position from 2007 forward. If my memory serves me right, this bridge was built by a firm out of Des Moines.
The original completion date for the I-229 Exit 5 Corridor Project was November, 2020.
Per siouxfalls.org the new completion date is now moved up eight months to July, 2021:
Project Overview
Completion Date: July 2021
Contract Amount: $38,000,000
Project Summary:
This project will construct new on and off ramps from 26th St to I-229, realignment of Yeager Road and the construction of a new bridge over the Big Sioux River and the BNSF Railway. Installation of new water main, sanitary and storm sewer, new street lights and traffic signals.
Contact Information
City of Sioux Falls
Dena Knutson
dknutson@siouxfalls.org
605-367-8630
Consultant
HDR
James Unruh
James.Unruh@hdrinc.com
605-977-7766
Contractor Name
D&G Concrete
A letter has been sent by the general contractor, D&G Concrete, to business owners who are impacted by the project stating the 26th Street bridge over I-229 does not line up with the rest of the project.
Is this the reason for the delay? At what point in the process was the error made…..design, engineering, construction?
This project involves 38m federal, state and local tax dollars. We, the taxpayers, deserve to know what has gone wrong with a project that effects a main east-west route through our city.
At least it’s a couple of bridges to somewhere. Perhaps, they exit onto the bike trail.
Our Alf and Ralph from ‘Green Acres’ working on this, or what?
Hold those responsible by deducting from there paychecks instead of the tax payers whether it be the city and there engineers or the construction company or the state and there engineers! Big FU’s from the last 2 administrations!
I cut that board twice and its STILL too short.
So funny, my brother who is a carpenter thought me the carpenter’s rule years ago, measure twice, cut once.
“Could the excess cement for the Bunker Ramp help?”
Straighten the curve.
If true, a real “ohhhhhhhhhh sh!t” moment for someone.
At that moment I hope they had their portable toilets on location!
It just seems like every city project has issues. Sounds like there should be oversight that doesn’t exist. We should have learned by now, competent engineering and construction comes from out of state and not from hayseeds working for the city.