These large steel plates have been glaringly present for weeks now. What isn't as obvious is the constant work happening underneath those plates.
The plates cover a trench in which a number of workers are building support structures for the bridge that will hold up Fredericksburg Road when Medical Drive runs underneath. Though work during the daytime hours isn't typical - the mass of traffic poses too great a risk - during nighttime hours those trenches are buzzing with activity.
More trenches will come, too. The trenches in place today basically only address needs for the north side of the intersection, or over the future westbound lanes of Medical Drive. Trenches for the eastbound side will be built with the next phase of work, when work on other areas of the future westbound lanes wraps up.
That work, of course, continues in earnest. On the downhill side of the intersection, heavy excavation is nearing completion. Retaining walls are (mostly) built and road-builders are getting ready to address driveways along the road.
This includes the driveway to the Bluff Creek Tower, which will close this week while crews rebuild the driveway. Folks needing to reach Bluff Creek will do so from Fredericksburg Road and use the parking lot of the little strip mall. A temporary driveway easement allows traffic two weeks' access to allow workers to do what they do. When the work on the upper portion of the driveway is finished, traffic will move Mack to the driveway and follow the work zone down the hill before letting out onto Medical Drive.