Wet Weather Putting a Damper on Triangle Development

For the first time in three weeks the hammers are pounding, and the saws are grinding again at a new home project in North Raleigh.

"This was like we've never seen before, and it made it extremely difficult to work around," says builder Ward Russell.

Local builders say the record snowfall, ice, and the recent rain could mean delays for many new homes currently under construction.

It could also mean a delayed start for others still waiting for land to be cleared.

The wet weather is also bringing other major construction projects to a standstill, including the next phase of the I-540 outer loop.

There is not much work to done until the mud starts to dry out.

"The rain and the snow basically have the same detrimental effect to production of work," says DOT engineer Bob Shultes. "The grade, if the grade is wet, they cannot move in the mud, and it decreases their production rates."

TheDepartment of Transportationsays it plans for bad weather during winter months, so it is still hoping to finish the section of the outer loop by next October.

The newSouthpoint Mallin Durham may not be so lucky. Developers say the wet weather will definitely have an adverse impact on its construction schedule. How much of an impact remains to be seen.

What developers and builders would like to see now is more sunshine.

"We need two or three good days of sun and some warm weather to get things dried out," says Shultes.

The DOT says as a last resort it will make up lost time by having crews work at night.