Snow, rain cause Wilson Street bridge work to take two weeks more

One more thing to blame on winter: The Wilson Street bridge reconstruction is going to take at least two weeks longer.

Since the Fox River is unseasonably high because of all the snow and rain, it's not safe for workers to enter and fix a collapsed support tower.

The tower, which was supposed to support the forms for the yet-to-be-poured concrete for the new north side of the bridge, was hit by an ice floe Feb. 18, city officials think.

"We will need approximately two weeks of lower water levels to get the tower repaired or replaced," City Engineer Noel Basquin said in a prepared statement. "We cannot pour concrete for the north half of the bridge until the shoring towers are repaired and temperatures are high enough."

City officials expect it will take two weeks to inspect and repair the tower.

Bridge construction began in February 2007. It was supposed to be finished, except for sidewalk and landscaping work, by Dec. 14. It was delayed by rainy weather last spring and Fox River flooding in August.

Construction was designed to keep one lane open to traffic. Last July, when it was 4½ weeks behind schedule, the contractor asked to shut the bridge down completely for three weeks to make up for lost time by tearing down the north half while wrapping up work on the south half. The contractor feared that pouring concrete for the north half would be delayed by the onset of cold temperatures in November.

But the city council refused, saying it would be too inconvenient to businesses and residents.

Pouring the concrete for the north half will take one to two weeks. It's been delayed because the concrete needs four to five days where overnight temperatures are in the 20s or higher to cure.

The final bridge deck pour will follow, requiring a two-week closure of the whole bridge.