Construction on State Street in Hillsdale, Mich., is taking longer than expected due to unanticipated obstacles.
The anticipated completion date of the project — the day before Labor Day — has been pushed back to Oct. 1. Matthew Taylor, Hillsdale’s City Engineer, said the road project, in which new sidewalks, curbs, and driveways are being installed, and the street is being rebuilt, was halted due to complications with a water main.
“We discovered some of the pipes were only two inches wide in the block between Lumbard Street and Wolcott Street,” Taylor said. “Six-inch pipe is desirable.”
Because the pipes fall under the jurisdiction of the Board of Public Utilities, Taylor was forced to cease construction until the BPU could make necessary repairs.
“It put the brakes on our progress,” Taylor said. “It is unfortunate that problems were encountered but fortunate that we could resolve them. It is more beneficial in the long run to take the time to fix the water main.”
Dan Knoch, library director at Hillsdale College, admitted to there being some confusion in his neighborhood off of State Street when the construction stopped.
“It was frustrating when we didn’t know what was happening when the work ceased,” Knoch said. “Rumors were flying like crazy.”
Knoch said he is glad construction is underway and believes the construction company is “doing a good job.”
“I’m glad that they’re doing it,” said Calvin Stockdale, institutional advancement associate. “I’m happy as long as it gets paved before the weather gets bad.”
ndemacedo@hillsdale.edu
