KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On this Driving You Crazy Monday, we're looking into a project in Northwest Knoxville that is now months behind.
The construction at the intersection of Clinton Highway and Merchant Drive has been giving some drivers a headache for months.
And according to the city of Knoxville, there’s still plenty of work to do.
Although the project was supposed to wrap up on Jan. 3, 2019, now the city is saying they're not sure when construction will end, although crews are working to pick up the pace after “unexpected delays."
“We’ve had some delays with utilities, some overhead,” Jim Hagerman, the director of engineering for the city, said.
The nearly $3.4 million dollar project was approved in a city council meeting in December 2017.
Work began on the intersection in April 2018 under contractor Twin K. Construction.
The goal is to reconfigure it to build better turn lanes while also extending sidewalks.
The project contractual completion date was set for Jan. 3, 2019, but as of Friday, Feb. 15, the project is 43 days late.
"The contractor is now being assessed $1,000 dollars in liquidated damages per day until the project is completed," Hagerman said.
So, 43 days late means $43,000 dollars in damages, so far.
For months, drivers have maneuvered lane closures, shifts and loosing several right turning lanes. And for now, they'll continue to have to do so with no clear end in sight.
“The same contractor is on the job. We do not have a new completion schedule, but it is moving more quickly now,” Hagerman said.