The 7th Road project in Plymouth should be complete by the end of June.
Project Supervisor Bart Trester from USI Consultants told the Marshall County Commissioners on Monday that the center of the roundabout is open to traffic in order for construction to occur on the east and west third of the circular intersection. Crews will return the traffic pattern to travel around the roundabout when that phase is complete. The project is anticipated to be done by the end of June.
The 7th Road construction project has been on hold all winter, but once the weather breaks workers will be busy to finish the project. It was anticipated to be complete last year.
Bart Trester from USI Consultants told the Marshall County Commissioners that several issues delayed the project including unsuitable soils and piling issue for the bridge. He presented a change order for the project once things get moving again.
This week, the Marshall County Commissioners approved and signed paperwork to complete the acceptance of the Metronet project along Glen Overmyer Drive. The work ended on Nov. 12 with all punch list items checked off the list. The installation of conduit for the three phases of the Metronet project is now complete.
The conduit will house dark fiber capable of distributing high-speed internet to business and industry in Plymouth. The conduit was installed in the city limits and along old U.S. 31 through LaPaz, LaVille, Lakeville and into South Bend. LaVille School Corporation and Hoosier Racing Tire have already lit dark fiber to begin using the product.
The 7th Road project in Marshall County will not be completed this year.
The project supervisor overseeing the construction, Bart Trester, told the Marshall County Commissioners that the current state of the project on Michigan Road will remain through the winter.
“The traffic has been running on phase three section of the roundabout and will probably remain like this through the winter,” said Trester. “The contractors finished placing the HMA base and intermediate lifts along the main line from Seltenright Ditch to Linden Trail and the HMA base from Seltenright Ditch to the roundabout. Due to weather limitations, the contractor will more than likely shut down operations for the winter. They have opened Lilac Road and Linden Trail for thru-traffic for over the winter.”
Bart Trester from USI Consultants updated the Marshall County Commissioners on a few projects in the county.
Trester said traffic is running on the third phase of the roundabout north of Plymouth on Michigan Road as part of the 7th Road project.
“The contractor is in the process of starting work from the roundabout to the bridge over the Seltenright Ditch in hopes of opening the roundabout this year. Contractors also finished the majority of the bridge construction over Seltenright Ditch with only railing items to be completed,” said Trester.
The Marshall County Commissioners received an update on two ongoing construction projects.
Bart Trester, project supervisor for the 7th Road project, said the project is on schedule to finish this year.
“The contractors have completed the removal of the unsuitable soils and are backfilling with the borrowed material along the project limits. With that done, the contractors have been able to upgrade the main line and cut ditches along the project limits. They have completed the installation of the box culvert at Zimmer Ditch and a temporary lane has been constructed. Traffic will be switched over and this will allow the contractor to begin construction on the roundabout on Michigan Road. Pile driving issues on the Seltenright Ditch are on hold as we’re waiting for the contractor to return to the project. In talking with the designer, we should be able to lighten driving requirements so we don’t have to drive them so deep,” explained Trester.
The Marshall County Commissioners received an update on two major construction projects in the county from USI’s Bart Trester. Trester is the project manager of the 7th Road and the Metronet projects.
Trester explained that unsuitable soils are being removed from portions of the 7th Road project. The soils were found in different locations in the project and weren’t detected in soil borings conducted prior to the project. The removal of the soils was quite costly. The commissioners approved a change order of over $500,000 at a previous meeting to meet that requirement. Crews are borrowing suitable soils between Lilac Road and Seltenright Ditch.
The Marshall County Commissioners approved a rather large change order during their meeting Monday morning for the 7th Road project.
At the previous meeting, Bart Trester from USI told the commissioners that unsuitable soil was found along the project route. Upon testing, it was found that the soil had a high organic compound which is not stable for construction. A soil bore had been conducted prior to the start of the project, but the soil composition was found to change frequently along the route. Trester explained that the organic soil needs to be removed.
The project supervisor of the 7th Road project in Marshall County gave an update of that project and the Metronet project to the commissioners Monday morning.
Bart Trester from USI told the commissioners that a box culvert was installed, crews cleared the right of way by Michigan Road and an abandoned house has been demolished.
