Utility Issues Stall 29th Street Bridge Completion

Th over the will likely wrap up by late October, several months behind schedule, due to complications with utility work.

The $6 million Three Bridges Project began in August 2009 and the 29th Street bridge was originally scheduled for completion in January 2012, and then July 2012, before its new end date of October.

Mike Gales, the project engineer for DDOT, told Patch in an email relocating utilities during construction has taken longer than expected.

"The planned duration was 9 months and it has taken longer than anticipated to move the utilities. Utilities are deep and relocations have been difficult due to lack of space to build new infrastructure while maintaining the existing electric, gas, phone, cable TV, and internet lines during construction," he wrote.

Work on the 30th Street bridge lasted about 11 months and took eight months. The 29th Street Bridge was closed to traffic on Feb. 17, 2011.

Total project costs are 6.5 percent over the bid price, Gales said.

"The majority of the increased costs are due to the pre-existing underground contamination at 30th Street," he said.

Editor's Note: On Aug. 31 we corrected Mike Gales' title to reflect that he works for DDOT. RK&K is the construction manager for the District.