Construction End (cont'd) October 18, 2009 Headache —————- From 1B said construction on the road has caused headaches for drivers and business owners, but in the end, the work will have been worth it. "12th Street has been a real challenge for everybody around here," Pope said at a recent State Transportation Commission meeting in Ogden. "But we're on track to get the road finished by the end of the year, and our goal is that we won't have to touch it again for another 40 years. "We've had quite a construction zone in Weber County. It's been a little painful over the summer, but soon we'll start to see the great benefits of all this construction." UDOT spokesman Vic Saunders said the final phase of concrete paving is now under way and mainline highway paving is expected to be complete before the end of the month. BETH SCHLANKER/Standard-Examiner Two lanes are closed because of construction on 12th Street near Wall Avenue in Ogden on Thursday. Business accesses, street approaches and the Wall Avenue intersection will be completed after that. After the completion of concrete paving, crews will add curb, gutter and sidewalks. "With the exception of some of the landscaping, the contractor has until the end of December to finish the project," Saunders said, "so we're almost there." Final project landscaping may be delayed until spring, depending on fall temperatures. Saunders said when the project was started, prices on asphalt, which is a crude oil derivative, were extremely high. The concrete material was chosen not only for cost savings, but also because it lasts longer. "One of the biggest reasons we went with concrete is because it's going to last longer," he said. "The surface on this road is going to last longer and be more durable, so once we're done, it'll be a long, long time before we work on it again." 96