SAN ANTONIO – Frustrations are building over the unfinished De Zavala Road Project.
Erin Rose, who lives in the area of the project zone, said she is has seen her fair share of construction, but nothing like this.
“We all have a job to do, and I beg of you to do yours and get it done,” Rose said to the contractors in charge of the project.
Rose said she is sometimes stuck in her neighborhood and has to navigate through miles of construction.
“I think the frustration is just watching it not getting finished for so long,” she said.
Others who work in the area have had to rethink their route home. Sacha Pokharel said the combination of heavy rain and road work has her worried.
“I’m just here stuck because I’m scared to go, scared to leave,” Pokharel said.
Voters approved the bond project more than three years ago. The goal is to create a wider street, sidewalks, and a better drainage system. Construction on the project, which began in 2018, spans from I-10 to Lockhill Selma Road. Completion was slated for 2019, but there were several delays.
District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez was not surprised to find people are frustrated.
“If they ever want to do another project to do in my district, they’ve got a very steep hill to climb,” Pelaez said.
According to the councilman, Curran Contracting did not have enough staff and made mistakes, including a contractor piercing through a water main.
The weather was also a factor, but it’s unclear if the COVID-19 pandemic played a part in the setback. However, Pelaez said that is not an excuse.
“Other projects around the city with other contractors have been finished on time, so COVID is not an acceptable excuse,” he said.
Public Works has been notified and has begun fining Curran Contracting a liquidated damage fee of $1,000 every day the project is not done.
“What we’ve gotten so far is headaches, and quite honestly, it’s unacceptable,” Pelaez said.
Public Works anticipates the completion of the project before Thanksgiving.