Usually, a lack of rain helps speed up the completion of roadwork. But this year, a lack of rain is creating concerns about construction delays.

Chuck Soules, the city’s director of public works, said the city has been told that shipments of road oil that is used to complete street repaving may be delayed because of low water levels on the Missouri River. Many of the contractors that the city uses rely on road oil that is shipped via barge from the Gulf Coast region.

“They have put us on notice that we may see some delays,” Soules said, although he said it was too early to estimate how long the delays may be. “We know we have school starting back up, and we will be doing everything we can to get those projects completed before school starts. But we are kind of at the mercy of something we don’t control.”

Soules said that contractors were making other arrangements, such as having oil delivered via rail. The city has portions of about 20 streets that it plans to mill and overlay before school begins in August.

Soules also provided updates on several other major projects, including:

¢ Kasold Drive between Bob Billings Parkway and 22nd Street: Work continues on the project, which has reduced traffic to one lane in each direction. The project is not expected to be completed until fall 2007.

¢ Monterey Way and Peterson Road: Monterey Way is open to traffic between Stetson Drive and Grand Vista Drive. The intersection of Peterson Road and Kasold Drive is being reconstructed. One lane of traffic is allowed northbound and southbound on Kasold Drive. Peterson Road between Monterey Way and Kasold Drive is closed to all traffic. Peterson Road and the intersection is expected to be open to all traffic by Oct. 1.

¢ 23rd Street: Repaving of 23rd Street, portions of which have been reduced to one lane in each direction, is expected to begin this week. Crews are expected to begin milling parts of Iowa Street this week. Repaving is expected to begin the week of July 23. Both projects are scheduled to be completed by Aug. 1.