The construction of a six-mile segment of Interstate 94 between St. Michael and Albertville is approximately a month behind schedule and, by the time it is completed, it will likely have taken two months longer than initially projected.

Wright County Commissioner Mike Potter said that, when that stretch of road was constructed 45 years ago, it was fraught with problems and short cuts were taken in terms of laying down a proper road bed under the surface. Now that it is being dug up, those problems have come back to light and need to be repaired.

“It’s behind schedule because of what I refer to as ‘sins of the past,’” Potter said. “In the mid-70s when they made that stretch, they had a lot of cost overruns and wet conditions. They kind of just paved it and washed it over until later. Later has come today.”

Potter said there were several issues with the soil beneath the roadway that are being addressed as they find them. Unfortunately, as the project continues, the problems have mounted, which will likely lead to more delays.

“I anticipate it being about two months behind by time they finish, because they have a lot more soil corrections to do than they first anticipated,” Potter said. “We knew what they did in the ‘70s. We have talked about 94 and some of the problems there and we’re finding all of them right now. We’ve had great weather for doing this, but we have to fix the sins of the past.”