Q:

Why are barricades blocking part of the street on Congress near the Exchange

Club Park entrance?

 

A:

The construction on Congress Street near the exit of the Exchange Club is due to an old and collapsing pipe structure beneath the road.

City Inspector David Fearn said city workers had to close that part of the road and direct traffic around it for the course of the project.

Fearn said a temporary fix for the pipe is in place while engineers are evaluating the extent of the deterioration. Once they know how much of the concrete pipe structure must be replaced, they will carry out the process of bringing the project before the Board of Alderman to get funding. Once the green light is given, they will go back in and finish the construction.

Fearn said he hopes to have everything ready to present at the next board meeting on May 19. Fearn said there is no way to be certain when the project will be completed, but the process for a project of this size is fairly routine and is not likely to be long or drawn-out.