Some piers for Justice Center need to be dug deeper than expected

Workers digging piers for the Cape Girardeau County Justice Center have hit a snag: some will need to be deeper than previously expected, County Commissioner Charles Herbst said Thursday.

Herbst said workers were still drilling piers Thursday.

"When they start drilling piers and setting those, they still don't know what's under the ground totally," Herbst said. "Some holes they're digging are a bit deeper than was anticipated and budgeted -- which happens."

Commissioners did not state how deep the footings will need to be.

Herbst said Penzel Construction's team is keeping track of the resulting cost overage.

Digging piers began earlier this month.

By Dec. 20, about half of the piers were dug, Commissioner Paul Koeper had said at a previous meeting.

Some of those piers were more than 40 feet deep, Koeper had said, and as wide as 6 feet in diameter.

Approximately 50 piers will be drilled, Koeper said at a previous meeting.

The $18 million Justice Center project is under construction adjacent to the existing Sheriff's office and county courthouse, on Highway 61 in Jackson.

Revenue from the county's use tax, or sales tax on purchases made outside the state and brought into the county, is funding the project.

The project is slated for completion in spring 2019.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630