Minnesotans pride themselves on their ability to handle frigid temperatures, but sometimes the cold is too much for even the toughest winter warriors. The construction crews working on our BOLD FUTURE project have braved snow, wind, and freezing temperatures to lay the foundation for our facilities expansion—but when the daytime highs are in the single digits, they shift to tasks that can be completed indoors for safety.
“We try to press forward whenever we can, even in cold weather, but some days it’s dangerous to be out for more than a few minutes,” says Austin Williams, Project Engineer for Mortensen Construction. “We all need to remember to dress for the elements when it gets as cold as it’s been here lately.”
The health and safety of the workers are not the only challenges posed by Minnesota’s recent deep freeze:
According to Williams, the concrete foundation work will be 95 percent completed by the end of January, and structural steel erection should begin in February.
At that point, progress will be much more visible, but weather still plays a role, especially at the points of connection between the church building and new construction, where openings need to be made in existing walls or roof areas.