Fru-Con to layoff workforce

December 13, 2006 - The company working on the new I-280 bridge will lay off almost half its workforce. The Veterans' Glass City Skyway is set to open to traffic next spring, but will it? And what about worker safety on the project?

Safety will be one of the issues discussed when ODOT meets with Fru-Con. The two sides need to talk after news that workers at the bridge site are being laid off. The I-280 bridge is really taking shape. As a matter of fact, ODOT says it's 90-percent done. This morning Fru-Con, the construction company building the Maumee crossing, announced it is cutting back its workforce.

"We were a little surprised by the layoffs."

Andrea Voogd, spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Transportation says Fru-Con told ODOT this morning the company was laying off 86 workers, 33 of them carpenters, leaving 107 on the job through the winter.

ODOT says that the company, Fru-Con, assured them they were going to work aggressively through the winter months. Right now, ODOT isn't sure how these layoffs are going to affect the end of the project. And there's still some work to be done.

Concrete barriers along the roadway need to be built, trussles have to be dismantled, the stay cables need stressing, the road itself needs painting and the site needs clean-up.

Fru-Con sent 13 abc an email saying "Construction activities are being tailored for winter work" and also stated "the site will be shut down for the holidays." Since 90-percent of the project is complete, ODOT understands cutbacks.

"The layoffs are logical in that there will be a reduction in the workforce for that."

However, ODOT wants the bridge open by March or April and plans to meet with Fru-Con to make sure that completion goal is not jeopardized by today's layoffs

"We want to finish this in the most safe, aggressive manner possible."

Fru-Con says it will have the project completed safely by March 2. If it doesn't the company will be fined $20,000 for every day it takes to finish.

The Veteran's Glass City Skyway costs more than $200 million making it the most expensive project in ODOT history. It should be done and dedicated in April.

Officials plan a memorial structure as a tribute to four ironworkers killed in a crane accident in 2004. The memorial will be at Ravine Park and will have four pillars. The sculpture will cost $130,000 so organizers want to raise money with a dinner gala. The "some enlightened evening" gala is on May 24, 2007. For more information call 419-206-0398.