FARGO (KFGO-AM) Rancorous debate before Fargo City Commissioners voted to grant Master Construction a 37 day extension to complete work on 19th Avenue North. The project was supposed to have been completed in mid-September. The extension gives Master Construction until late November to wrap it up.
Commissioner Dave Piepkorn voted against the extension. He's been critical of the delays and lost business to stores along a three block stretch of 19th Avenue.
Piepkorn questioned why the city didn't provide an incentive bonus for early completion when the project was bid, City Engineer April Walker replied it was an oversight. She says staff didn't expect the project to run into so many problems. Piepkorn responded that part of the reason may have been that no one expected the project to be done on time. Mayor Dennis Walker said that wasn't true. He says the 2014 construction season has been "an extremely difficult year" for a number of reasons.
Deputy Mayor Tim Mahoney and Walker say 19th avenue is not the only construction project late this year. Some 70% of the road work in the city will not be completed on time.
CLICK HERE to hear Deputy Mahoney talk about this issue during "News & Views with Joel Heitkamp".