Construction of a roundabout at Geddes and Ridge roads in Superior Township won’t be finished in time to open the intersection back up to drivers for the first day of school, officials announced Thursday.
The $1.1 million project was supposed to be completed by Aug. 30 in order to accommodate the additional traffic to the South Pointe Scholars Charter Academy at 10550 Geddes Road once classes resume.
Construction signs Tuesday, June 25 at Geddes and Ridge roads in Superior Township.
Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com
Because the completion date was set in the signed contract between the Washtenaw County Road Commission and the company doing the work, the company will now be penalized for every additional day the project is not complete, said Matt MacDonell, senior project manager for the Road Commission.
Per the liquidated damages clause, the company will be paid $1,300 less of its contract award amount for each calendar day past deadline that the work is not done, MacDonell said.
Fonson, Inc. of Brighton is the prime contractor and GM & Sons, Inc. of Whitmore Lake is the subcontractor doing the concrete paving.
“We don’t assess liquidated damages often,” MacDonell said.
Since the charter school is paying for the roundabout construction, the missed deadline means the school will be paying less money for the project.
The roundabout project was initiated by South Pointe Scholars Charter Academy as a condition the school agreed to in order to gain permits to construct the two driveways to access the school from Geddes and Ridge roads.
A graphic of the roundabout that's under construction at Geddes and Ridge roads in Superior Township.
Courtesy of the Washtenaw County Road Commission
About 70 percent of the concrete has been poured on the roundabout. MacDonell said he expects 100 percent of the concrete pouring to be finished by Friday.
The concrete then needs about seven days to cure and gain strength before being opened to vehicle traffic, MacDonell said.
The joints between sections of concrete need to be sealed, surrounding landscaping needs to be completed, signs need to be installed and pavement striping needs to be painted, MacDonell said.
Weather permitting, MacDonell said the project will be completed by the first week after Labor Day weekend.
In the worst-case scenario, the project will keep the intersection closed until mid-September, MacDonell said.
As a result of the intersection closure, the school can only be accessed from Geddes Road east of Ridge Road.
Drivers exiting the school must exit to eastbound Geddes Road or to southbound Ridge Road.
For all other drivers, the posted detour route remains in effect from Prospect Road, Holmes Road, Michigan Avenue and Denton Road.
During the construction project, the intersection has become notorious for drivers and bicyclists ignoring the “road closed” signs. Police issued 23 tickets over a period of several days this summer to motorists who violated the signs.
MacDonell said there has been evidence of bicyclists traveling over wet concrete at the intersection, including a full-body print of a bicyclist who fell over in the wet concrete.
View Geddes and Ridge roads in a larger map
Amy Biolchini is the K-12 education reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.