River runs on hold as paving continues

BOSTON. In a race between the weather and workers repaving a large portion of the Charles River running path along Storrow Drive, the weather won.

As sunshine splashed the region Thursday and temperatures soared to 71 degrees, runners, bikers and rollerbladers flooded the path. But the stretch between the BU Bridge and the River Street Bridge on the Boston side remains unfinished, turning runners back long after work began in the fall.

“It’s getting annoying,” said Brighton resident Rob Ostrye, who was hoping the span was complete on Thursday. “I hate having to do this loop.”

That loop consists of talking a footbridge over Storrow Drive to Commonwealth Avenue, then heading up to the BU Bridge, crossing it and continuing on the Cambridge side.

Jennifer Radden, of Cambridge, was spotted looking for the detour after being turned away during a jog.

“It’s totally annoying and bad timing [because of the weather],” Radden said.

A Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) ranger said most people are happy that the path is being fixed. The path had roots pushing through pavement and rock crumbling on its sides.

But delays occurred after 25 service boxes that help light the path had to have their wiring checked. Then, winter set in. Thursday, a delay was caused when an asphalt plant supplying material was shut down.

Workers plan on finishing the paving in a week or so.