Though there's no physical work going on at the Oakland Avenue Viaduct, county and state officials are working behind the scenes to get work to resume.

"We're attempting to set up a meeting with the contractor to discuss the last proposal that he submitted," Mark Miller, county bridge engineer, said Friday. "We were hopeful to schedule a meeting for Monday or Wednesday of next week, but I understand that they responded they were not available and are checking their schedule to see when they are available."

Miller said the latest proposal to correct the misalignment in the bridge that spans U.S. Route 62, also known as Connelly Boulevard in Sharon, must include more details.

The proposal from contractor Carmen Paliotta Construction Inc., of South Park, Pa., said how it intended to straighten the structure, but the details weren't specific enough so that the workers would understand things like what bolts to loosen and which should be left alone, Miller said. He said these details and others will ensure safety during the work.

"My frustration about the project is that they submit their analysis of how they're going to fix it," said Mercer County Commissioner Olivia Lazor. "It gets reviewed by both PennDOT and engineers that are on the project. And it's not sufficient, so then we have to again wait until they respond back. And that's the frustration: How much longer do we have to wait in order to get the thing fixed?"

The partially finished bridge has sat dormant for 17 months, and Miller said some of the material on the decking -- such as timbers, plywood and the deck steel -- must be inspected to find out if it's still usable. The steel frame is still good, he said.

Despite the delay in work, there are still financial obligations that must be met on the project.

All of the $3.5 million project is being paid for by federal and state money. The county pays the contractor and is reimbursed, Miller said.

To date, the contractor has been paid $2.9 million and the county has been reimbursed all of that money, Miller said.

County commissioners approved an additional $26,000 to pay engineers Gannett Fleming Inc., of Pittsburgh, if the extra money is needed.

The engineers inspect the work on the bridge, and as the project has dragged on, more inspections have been necessary, Miller said. He said that once 75 percent of the project is completed, the engineers will review the work and tell the county if they've been paid a sufficient amount of money to complete the project.

The original completion date for the viaduct was Nov. 30, 2001. An extension date of Feb. 24, 2003, has also passed.

Since that date, the contractor is being assessed $650 a day. That money will be deducted from the final payment to the contractor.