35W Bridge To Be Completed Early
The constructors of the 35W bridge believe that the bridge will be open in the middle of September instead of late December, according to the Star Tribune.
During a public tour of the construction site on Saturday, representatives for Flatiron Constructors said that the bridge is "65 percent" complete and that the process of hanging concrete segments over the river could begin soon.
The recent projection of the bridge being complete in the middle of September comes right after the state holds the Republican National Convention from September 1st through the 4th. However, officials don't believe this had any influence on the bridge's work.
Flatiron Constructors was awarded the $234 million contract from the Minnesota Department of Transportation last September. The contract calls for the bridge to be completed by December 24th, but includes a $200,000 a-day incentive for each day the bridge is completed before then. The recent projection would put the total bonus awarded to $20 million, according to the Pioneer Press.
The total cost of the project, which includes the removal of the previous bridge, is expected to be nearly $400 million. The federal government is picking up nearly all of the cost.