Naylor Love project manager Jason Graham said a sewerage pipe was being laid from an apartment development, along the Esplanade, and around the corner to an access point in Forbury Rd.
The work was expected to be completed by last Friday but the original starting date of July 31 was delayed two days until Dunedin City Council engineers were satisfied the excavation work would not disturb the anchors in the sea wall.
The work began on August 2 and contractor Foleys discovered the sewerage pipe in Forbury Rd was much deeper in the ground than the 1m stated in the council plans.
Contractors needed to be lowered in ``man cages'' to work safely in the trench.
``We had to change our methodology for safety reasons.''
Stormwater pipes were another unexpected discovery, he said.
``It meant we had to take things a lot slower to carefully excavate around the pipes ... All in all it has slowed progress.''
The delays allowed contractors to lay gas pipes in the trench and connect to the gas mains in Bedford St.
When the work was complete, businesses in the area would be able to connect to the gas infrastructure, he said.
Contractors began laying paving stones in a section of Forbury Rd yesterday and the amount of fencing needed began to recede.
The road was scheduled to reopen on Friday.
