Construction of the new Oak Valley Hospital is on track and continuing, despite issues with the state and the economy.

“Everyone is working well together,” said John Friel, CEO of the Oak Valley Hospital District.

The district began construction after breaking ground on the new facility in December 2008. It is slated for completion in September 2011.

Dave Martin of Jacobs Engineering, the construction manager for the new hospital project, said although employees of the state organization that regulates hospital construction — the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) — have been dealing with furloughs, construction crews have been able to work around those issues. He said this has included bringing plans that need to be signed off by OSHPD to other construction sites where OSHPD was conducting inspections.

“We’ve come up with a game plan; sometimes we have to chase them down,” Martin said.

Rain has impacted construction, but Martin said weather delays have been built into the construction schedule.

“We re-sequence some of the scope of the work,” he said.

Martin said as an example, crews will “double pour” concrete on a clear day to make up for the delays caused by weather.

“Weather affects you in the beginning,” he said. “As construction continues it has less of an impact.”

Martin said the economy has affected construction in positive ways, too.

“We have the cream of the crop,” he said of the subcontractors that Jacobson and Acme Construction have been able to hire during the period of slow construction throughout the state.

Friel said funding of the project has been in place with the district’s August 2004 Measure H as well as revenue bonds. He said a citizen oversight committee reviews the hospital’s funding on a monthly basis.

Friel also said fundraising by the Hospital Foundation is ongoing, with two-thirds of their $3 million goal pledged so far. The foundation will fund some of the medical equipment and other patient amenities inside the facility.

Friel said using the J Street extension has also helped construction efforts.

“We’re pleased with the collaboration with the city to keep J Street closed during construction,” he said.

Martin said he expects the building to be enclosed later this year in June or July, at which time interior work will proceed.