Mercer County Bridge Department is questioning the findings of an engineer who says Sharon's Oakland Avenue Viaduct is safe and should be sound for years despite its misalignment.

Department Director Mark Miller gave county commissioners an update of the $3.6 million project Thursday.

Not much has changed since officials discovered structural problems with the bridge in November -- work remains on hold and no completion date is in sight.

Miller said he spoke Wednesday with county engineers and PennDOT about a report submitted to the county by an engineer for project contractor Carmen Paliotta Construction of South Park, Pa.

The engineer's report indicates misalignment of steel beams holding up the bridge will not compromise the bridge's integrity or shorten its life span, Miller said.

"The engineer is trying to prove that it's fine the way it is," Miller said.

Construction was put on hold in November after officials said the beams were off by as much as 3 inches in certain spots.

"One leg pedestal was built a half-inch too low and the one beside it was a half-inch too high," Miller added Wednesday.

Miller said he questioned facts contained in the engineer's report.

"It is not an acceptable report," Miller said. "We can't trust the survey information. And if you can't trust the survey data, you can't trust that the alignment is correct."

Miller said he set up a "face-to-face meeting" with the engineer and contractor for the third week of the month. "What we want to know from them is whether they can revise the report or for the engineer to tell us he doesn't have the expertise," Miller said.

"It is a unique type of structure that takes some specialized expertise," Miller said.

The old viaduct was closed last March and imploded in June. The project was supposed to be completed Nov. 30.