Warren D. Mitchell and Associates -- the Chapel Hill-based engineering firm hired to do the construction -- started work on Dec. 18 and finished Thursday, said Warren Mitchell, a partner at the firm. Mitchell said the firm was hired by a private homeowner to install a sanitation sewer main for a new house that is being constructed on Ridge Road.
The main area of Ridge Road affected by the construction was between UNC's School of Law building and the Boshamer Stadium. The company finished the installation last week, Mitchell said, but due to inclement weather, it could not repave the road right away. "They can't pave a road if (the temperature) falls below freezing," he said. Mitchell said the repaving also was delayed Jan. 7 because of ice that had accumulated.
Mitchell said his company has not received any complaints from motorists who have been inconvenienced by the construction, but it has been contacted by Chapel Hill officials. "The town of Chapel Hill called us and asked us to do our best to keep traffic moving," he said.
Motorists experienced minor delays while the workers repaved the road Thursday. The right lane of Ridge Road was shut down, and cars waited as workers directed traffic with orange signs.
But Mitchell said his company completed the work Thursday. "To the best of my knowledge, the work is done," he said.
Jay Shively, deputy director of admissions at the law school, said he drives on Ridge Road about once a week and that he has not been inconvenienced by any construction. "I didn't really see it as that big of a problem," he said.
But Shively said he would not be surprised if the road work had caused problems for motorists. "Construction is always inconvenient."
The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.
