Most ironworkers are back working on the St. Croix River bridge project, and the work remains on schedule, a Minnesota Department of Transportation spokeswoman said Wednesday.

"They're back to the regular pace," said Kristin Calliguri. "They're still on schedule for that traffic to be on the bridge in the fall of 2016. Things are moving along as they should."

More than 100 ironworkers were pulled off the job last week because of a contract dispute between the ironworkers' employer, J & L Steel of Hudson, Wis., and the general contractor, Lunda-Ames Joint Venture.

Details of the disagreement were not disclosed, and neither company has responded to inquiries seeking comment.

Michael Beer, the MnDOT bridge project manager, said last week that the work "had slowed down" because ironworkers were needed to tie rebar that holds massive bridge segments together.

Ironworkers involved in the dispute belong to Iron Workers Local 512 in St. Paul.

Kevin Giles