Crosstown roadwork on hold till next year

09/05/2006

Contractors question state’s cost estimate

BY JEREMY OLSON
Pioneer Press

Expansion of the “notorious” Crosstown-Interstate 35W interchange has officially stalled until 2007.

Construction was supposed to start Aug. 1 under the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s original timetable, but contractors declined to bid because the project appeared more expensive than the state’s $250 million estimate. With winter approaching, waiting until next year was the prudent choice, said Bob McFarlin, assistant to the state transportation commissioner.

“It just makes sense to wait,” McFarlin said at 11:36 a.m. Friday, when the state online traffic map showed the intersection as one of two red-level congested roadways in the Twin Cities.

State officials spent the summer negotiating with contractors over the disputed costs of fuel, asphalt and other staples of the widening project. McFarlin said those efforts will likely improve the odds of hiring a contractor when the state seeks bids early next year.

The delay alone will cost the state, though, considering the 10 percent to 20 percent inflation in construction. The widening and detangling of the two highways could now cost $300 million.

The Crosstown and I-35W briefly narrow into one at a nexus of the Twin Cities. It is a common juncture for downtown commuters, mall shoppers, sports fans, concertgoers and airport travelers. Traffic volumes generally run 250,000 vehicles per day.

“That is a notorious bottleneck,” McFarlin said.

One benefit of the delay is that the state won’t seek bids until after the November election, when voters will decide whether to redistribute existing tax dollars toward road projects. McFarlin said a “yes” vote could help finance the project.