Construction Delays

Scott Hardie | April 23, 2004
Has anybody here worked in road construction before? Can anyone tell me why it sometimes takes so long to finish a project?

There's a one-mile stretch of road leading out of my neighborhood that has been under construction since I moved here nearly two years ago. That's an average of about seven feet per day. What is taking so long?! I feel like stopping my car, getting out, and asking the construction workers why one of the only two exits out of my neighborhood has been closed or otherwise slowed by construction for two straight years, forcing me to exit via the longer route. It started less than a week after I moved in, and I swear it's finally going to end less than a week after I move out.

That little stretch of road isn't the only problem area around here. Both inner shoulders of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge (shown at the end of "The Punisher") have been closed for construction since even before I moved here. I used to think the cones redirecting traffic to the outer edges of the bridge were there permanently, like there was some structural-integrity issue at the center of the bridge, but when I drive by there at night I see the construction crews hard at work doing something. For over two years now. On a half-mile stretch of bridge. What could possibly take so long?

Melissa Erin | April 23, 2004
[hidden by request]

Kris Weberg | April 23, 2004
Then again, I live in Illinois, land of the perpetual construction project. Some of the major highways uphere literally ALWAYS have one section or another being rebuilt.

Anna Gregoline | April 23, 2004
I always thought it was because construction contracts are paid by the day. More days = more money.

Plus, roads are probably a lot more complicated to fix/construct then us laypeople know.

Erik Bates | April 23, 2004
[hidden by request]

Anna Gregoline | April 23, 2004
So they'd still stretch it as long as possible. I rarely see construction workers doing much on long term projects except stand around.