The city of Urbana announced on Thursday that R.B. Jergens Contractors and subcontractors will start completing remaining work on the Monument Square/roundabout project at the intersection of U.S. routes 68 and 36 on Wednesday, July 29. City officials said the contractor will post no-parking signs as needed prior to work phases and that daytime road closures may be necessary during the paving phase.

Tasks to be completed are repairing asphalt; striping roadway markings, parking lines and crosswalks; manhole adjustment; and water valve adjustment.

The contractor was scheduled to start the completion of roundabout tasks on July 8, however, that did not happen.

On Wednesday, city Director of Administration Kerry Brugger told the Daily Citizen that since April the city and the Ohio Department of Transportation had been discussing with R.B. Jergens “pavement failures from 2019 deemed unacceptable by the city and ODOT.

“The city has been patiently waiting for RBJ to share its plan to correct the issues,” Brugger said, adding that on July 2 it was agreed the contractor would begin completing final roundabout tasks on July 8.

“But on Tuesday, July 7, they suddenly backed out of their commitment without any clear explanation,” he said.

Brugger said the contractor requested another meeting, but that the subsequent July 13 meeting provided no clear reason for pavement failures and provided no solutions.

A call to R.B. Jergens on Monday, July 20, and back and forth emails resulted in a commitment to complete pavement work starting Wednesday, July 29, Brugger said.