Driver destroys new concrete - KXLT - Fox 47 Rochester MN News, Weather and Sports

NEAR PLAINVIEW, Minn. (FOX 47) -- Someone took a joy ride Wednesday afternoon on wet concrete. It happened just south of Plainview at the Wabasha and Olmsted County line.

This six-mile project covers the counties of Olmsted and Wabasha spanning county roads 10 and 4. Concrete was poured earlier this week, and as it was drying, someone drove over it.

"Drove right down the road, which has wheel ruts in it," explained Olmsted County Construction Supervisor, Scott Holmes.

The driver of the pick-up truck continued on the fresh pavement for 700 feet.

"Someone actually got on and drove down along that pavement and came off and got on and off the road right here," said Holmes.

Holmes said not a project goes by that someone doesn't walk, ride their bike or drive on the wet concrete. Sometimes, he said it's hard to tell if it's wet or not. Either way, road blocks and signs are up notifying people of the project.

"You get people that don't follow the signs on a road and get in where they don't belong," said Holmes. "It is contractors expense on their side of it, but it all boils down to the tax dollars. We're paying for the roads here, the good roads in Minnesota and that's part of it."

Now, an entire section of the road will have to be torn up and replaced because of safety concerns.

"Down the road it is issues, where you have ruts and you shouldn't have ruts in a concrete road and could cause issues in the future with water standing on the road, cars hydroplaning and doing things like that, so we want a good product like that when it is done," said Holmes.

The project was supposed to be finished by September 21, but now it might be delayed. It happened just south of Plainview at the Wabasha and Olmsted County line.

So who's going to pay for this? Construction crews were able to give law enforcement a license plate number. The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office followed up with the individual, but at this time no charges have been filed and an investigation is ongoing. If charged, the driver could end up paying a portion of the cost.