(5/1) Work on the Flat Run Bridge, which carries East Main Street (state Route 140) across Flat Run, is wrapping up, as the project has become more focused on landscaping and assorted final touches.

The State Highway Administration has approved a flagging operation by the contractor to compete work on the bridge on April 15.

According to Town staff, the majority of the work is completed. The contractor and State Highway Department only have some punch list items that need to be finished.

As initially proposed in 2014, work on replacing the bridge was to began in 2015, ending in the summer of 2016. While inclement weather has played a large role in the extension of this project, concerns have arisen throughout the construction process. Earlier on contractors came across drainage issues, which required a lengthy re-design phase, concerns with the foundation of the existing bridge, and the discovery of an unknown water line that required re-location issue required negotiations with the town, contractor and state, which delayed the project even further.

The impact of unexpected delays is best noted by the fact that the traditional ‘completion date’ marker on the bridge bears a date of 2019 even thought work is only now being wrapped up.

Paul Harrington, of Harrington & Son’s Lawn Equipment, whose business was probably the most impacted by the 4 year long project, expressed relief that the work was finally being wrapped up. "Now I don’t have to look out my door and see a line of traffic blocking the entrance to my parking lot." Upon reflection, Paul added: "Ya, it’s pretty, but my God, It took us less time to win WWII then it took to finish this stupid bridge."