ST. GEORGE – Construction of the Mall Drive Bridge, which began in February in St. George and was scheduled for completion the second week of September, is now reported to be targeted to open next Tuesday.
“There have been a few delays that have pushed the opening to Sept. 30,” said Mike Smith, the City of St. George project manager. He went on to say:
They have a very busy week to prep for opening next week. More asphalt being placed today, traffic signal installation, painting on the bridge, general cleanup, etc.
After city crews paint striping on the roads on Monday – weather permitting – Smith said they should be ready to open the road Sept. 30 or Oct. 1.
The project is expected to relieve traffic congestion on both River Road in St. George and Washington Fields Drive in Washington City by comprising a road system that will connect Mall Drive on the north to 3000 East on the south.
There are currently no vehicle traffic detours as the bridge construction is isolated from any existing roads. But the trail that runs along the river is now rerouted to and along Riverside Drive past the project site and then back to the permanent trail.
Originally, the city was looking at costs ranging from $15 million to $20 million to complete the project, St. George Public Works Director Larry Bulloch said. But, over time, the city was able to redesign it to its current project cost estimate of just below $10 million.
The contractor for the bridge is Wadsworth Brothers Construction whose bid unanimously prevailed upon the St. George City Council on Dec. 19, 2013. That bid was for $7.5 million, Bulloch said.
Related posts
- UPDATE: Mall Drive Bridge construction on schedule; Photo Gallery
- Mall Drive Bridge construction finally begins, what to expect
- Mall Drive bridge project strapped by red tape, City Council considers options
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Those on the east side of the river will have no more driving around to River Road or through Washington to get to the liquor store. The bridge will make it quicker to the liquor.
Won’t matter. Still quicker to use liquor store by coral canyon.
{slow clap}
Really.? Yawwwwn
Anyone know if they are planning sidewalks anytime soon? I wonder if they were scratched for budget reasons…..seems a shame to have a great new bridge and roadway with no way for pedestrians or bikes to cross. what about all the kids here in Washington Fields that will no longer be bussers to school…they definately can’t walk to bike without sidewalks.
The new bridge will include sidewalks from what we understand.
Yup. Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.
THANK GOODNESS this is finally done! The traffic near there is TERRIBLE. This is going to be so great having this bridge. It goes right out to The Fields–no more going all the way around.
Oh good you saved money….NOW lets see if you can put it good use and creat some SOCCER fields!
Maybe the City could use the money saved on the bridge to fix the rough road that goes from Costco to the Mall Drive. I have spent a lot of money having my vehicle alignment re-done every 3 months. That is one rough road.
You might try slowing down to a reasonable speed. Say only five or ten over the limit, instead of your usual 30 over.
I’m usually not one to complain but this bridge project should have been built years
ago — at least four years ago BEFORE the bridge was rebuilt at the Virgin River on
300 East in Washington, BEFORE the soccer park was put in Washington and BEFORE either 300 East or Telegraph Graph St in Washington were widened and improved. Yes–perhaps it involved different pots of money, who knows, but regardless, the City of St George
and Washington should have both cut through the RED TAPE and built the Mall
Drive Bridge first. Then perhaps the reduced traffic congestion would have not made it so necessary to complete the other improvements I mentioned until later. Typical bureaucratic bungling.
The bridge won’t prevent the bad people on the wrong side of the river from invading over onto the good side of the river. Who will be responsible to control that invasive species?
Get yer redneck chairs lined up on Mall Dr. to see dem big Dodge, Ford, and Illegally modified big ol trucks blowing black smoke on the new race strip. Git er done!
Well, we like to build ’em slow, that way we get paid more 😉