Despite serious rain delays in December, construction of an industrial access road from Hwy. 29 to Andalusia’s industrial park is moving at an “outstanding pace.”

Chase Cotton of DMD Engineers is overseeing the project, which was funded primarily by the state’s Industrial Access Road and Bridge Authority.

“Work is going well,” Cotton said, adding that the contract gives Grady Ralls & Sons (GRS) 180 working days.

“We 13 working days due to rain and wet conditions in the month of December,” he said. The original contract called for a July 2, 2010, completion, but the rain days will be added to the end of the contract, he said.

The project consists of 4,000 L.F. of new roadway between Hwy. 29 and Sutton Road, and 2,900 L.F. of roadway extensions inside the Industrial Park. The new road will intersect Hwy. 29 directly across from Barton Road just north of the existing intersection of Old WAAO road.

“(GRS) has mobilized additional equipment and personnel and are moving ahead at a outstanding pace,” Cotton told council members earlier this week.

“Two of the three reinforced concrete pipe cross drains have been installed, with the third to be installed in the next two weeks.”

The project includes four storm drainage roadway crossings, the largest of which is an open bottom culvert that is 7 feet tall, 24 feet wide and 58 feet long.

Cotton explained that the “open bottom” allows the streambed to fluctuate with the seasons and insures minimal disruption with the aquatic wildlife.