Marina Dock Age

Work resumed on the Barnstable Harbor bulkhead, after more than a week off. On June 17 engineers discovered some construction materials had shifted in the soil, while construction crews were installing the new retaining wall, according to a June 28 Cape Cod Times report.

The 30-foot steel sheets that make up the retaining walls had moved slightly after construction crews removed the wooden support beams, said Mark Ells, the town’s director of public works. Project engineers intend to leave the beams in place until the permanent support ties are installed later in the process.

Workers, who started the project in May, expect to complete it in spring 2011. “We’ve made some minor adjustments to the construction methods,” Ells said. “[There are] no real design changes, just a few small changes to how we plan to proceed.”

The delay won’t likely have any impact on the timeline or the project costs, Ells said. Planners included provisions within the schedule and the budget to accommodate construction issues or complications.

State and local governments shared the $5 million project cost and have been working to secure the funding since March 2008 when portions of the retaining wall collapsed. The collapse forced eight slips to close, along with 20 parking spots and the facilities used by fishermen to unload their catch.

The construction work has closed off additional slips around the harbor, displacing boaters and sacrificing more than $95,000 in slips fees to the town, according to Eric Shufelt, marina manager.