Community Corner
Bridge that Was Supposed to Open Sept. 27 Delayed Until Late November
Frustration grows among commuters tiring of detours and businesses who say customer traffic is declining with bridge closure.
Prepare to detour a little longer. The Grand Avenue bridge over Walnut Creek won’t be open until late November, two months behind schedule.
That means more traffic hassles for commuters who use the major east-west artery between West Des Moines and Des Moines, and more frustration on the part of businesses in the area who told the Des Moines Register the construction delays are causing declines in their customer traffic.
The contractor doing the work, Jenco Construction, told Des Moines city officials the project won’t be done until Nov. 29, The contractor faces a $5,000 fine for each day the project is delayed beyond the Sept. 27 date set for three lanes of the bridge to open when the $3.3 million project was bid.
Find out what's happening in West Des Moinesfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
City of Des Moines officials have been working with the contractor to try to get the project, first delayed by a wet spring, back on track. The bridge has been closed since late March.
Clear Channel Outdoor, which has an electronic billboard on the Des Moines side of the intersection, has been offering free advertising to the businesses whose traffic has been interrupted by the construction.Find out what's happening in West Des Moinesfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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