News Flash

Highway Division Updates

• Last week, the Highway Division:
  • Repaired potholes on East Street, Green Street, Holly Court, Jewett Street, Lyman Road, Turkey Hill Road and Washington Avenue and at JFK MIddle School
  • Patched trench cuts on Aldrich Street and Austin Circle
  • Trimmed and mowed right-of-ways along Bradford Street, Eastern Avenue, Fair Street Ext, Hockanum Road, Locust Street, North Street underpass and Old Ferry Road
  • Graded Old Ferry Road
  • Sign installation and repair on Bradford Street, Bridge Road, Cedar Street, Charles Street, Paquette Ave, Pynchon Meadow Road, Riverbank Road, Stoddard Street and Vernon Street
• Street sweeping continues in Ward 6
• To report a pothole, please submit a request via the Pothole Repair Form; the largest potholes are filled first to alleviate hazards to vehicles; as hazards arise and are identified, they will be addressed.

Bridge Street, Damon Road, Interstate 91 - Exit 25 (old Exit 19)

• MassDOT has contracted with Baltazar Contractors, Inc. to construct a roundabout and associated improvements to the Interstate 91 - Exit 25 (old Exit 19) interchange at the base of the Coolidge Bridge
• The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of October 2021
• Minor site cleanup work and sign placement will continue in the coming weeks
• Lighting installation is scheduled to occur during the month of October
• Alternating lane closures may be in place to facilitate work
• Officers will assist with traffic control as needed
• Questions about the project should be directed to MassDOT District 2, project #604597

Damon Road Reconstruction

• MassDOT has contracted with Gagliarducci Construction, Inc. to reconstruct Damon Road from the bike path to just beyond the intersection with King Street, North King Street and Bridge Road
• The project will provide intersection and traffic signal improvements, extended sidewalks, a shared use path and other safety improvements
• The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of July 2023
• Utility relocation, drainage improvements and water & sewer replacement will occur prior to full depth roadway reconstruction
• A bike path detour is in place until further notice. Bikes and pedestrians will use the new bike path connector behind the former Fish Hook restaurant, cross Damon Road near the new roundabout using the new RRFB signal, and use the sidewalk along DCR property to connect to the former RR bridge crossing the Connecticut River - Bike Path Detour Map (pdf)
• A truck detour is in place until further notice.  All trucks will be detoured from Damon Road between Industrial Drive and the Bridge St/Route 9 roundabout, except for local deliveries; trucks will be able to access Industrial Drive from the western end of Damon Road
• Gagliarducci will continue working on drainage on the eastern end of the project and replacing the sewer main between the railroad crossing and just east of the I-91 overpass
• Travel will be restricted to a single lane as needed; officers will assist with traffic control
• Motorists should expect traffic delays and seek alternate routes
• Questions about the project should be directed to MassDOT District 2, project #608236

I-91 Bridges over Route 5, the Railroad and Hockanum Road

• MassDOT has contracted with J.F. White, Inc. to construct roadway improvements to I-91 and at Exit 23 (formerly 18)
• The project will replace the I-91 bridges over Route 5, the Railroad and Hockanum Road and construct safety and signal improvements at the exit interchange
• The project is scheduled to be completed in phases by 2025
• Work in the I-91 median is underway to accommodate a temporary bridge that will be utilized to maintain 2-lane traffic in both directions while each set of northbound and southbound bridges are replaced in sequence
• This week the southbound high speed lane will be closed from 7 am to 1 pm for median temporary roadway construction
• There will be a nighttime rolling roadblock early Wednesday for National Grid to install overhead wires across the interstate
• Questions about the project should be directed to MassDOT District 2, project #606552

King Street Corridor Improvements

• MassDOT has contracted with Morais Concrete Service, Inc. to construct roadway improvements to King Street between Bright Street and Church Street
• The project will provide lane reconfiguration, bicycle and pedestrian improvements, landscaping and drainage improvements and new traffic signals at North & Summer Streets and Finn Street at both King and State Streets
• The project is scheduled to be completed in phases by Fall 2022
• Morais will be installing rain gardens on the east side of King Street near North Street
• Electric Light, a subcontractor to Morais, will be installing signal mast arm footings at the intersections of Finn/King, Finn/State and King/Summer/North Streets
• Summer Street will be closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week
• National Grid will be working on utility pole cross arms and wire transfers
• Travel will be restricted to a single lane as needed; officers will assist with traffic control
• Motorists should expect traffic delays and seek alternate routes
• Questions about the project should be directed to MassDOT District 2, project #607502

Leeds Pressure Reducing Valve

• The City has contracted with GEG Construction for water system improvements that include an above grade pressure reducing valve (PRV) connected to the 36-inch transmission main in Haydenville Road across from Scotti’s, water main interconnections to the transmission main at Leonard Street and East Center Street and the installation of two hydrants connected to the transmission main in River Road
• The project will allow for the eventual demolition of the Audubon Road water storage tank
• The project is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2022
• The contractor has cleared and grubbed the PRV building site
• The interconnections on Haydenville Road at Leonard and East Center Streets are scheduled for early September

Masonic Street Parking Lot & Amber Lane

• The City has contracted with Jack Goncalves & Sons, Inc. to remedy a failing sewer line which passes through both the Masonic Street parking lot and Amber Lane and serves multiple Main Street businesses and residents; the project will also upgrade the water main to allow for enhanced fire flows and future fire sprinkler connections
• The Contractor has installed new water mains in the Masonic Street parking lot (with water main spur-lines to the alleyway behind buildings 219 to 241 Main Street) and in Amber Lane; all water services have been switched over to the new water mains
• The Contractor has repaired the failed section of the sewer main in Amber Lane and has replaced the sewer main in the alleyway behind buildings 219 to 241 Main Street
• Eversource has installed a new gas line in the alleyway behind buildings 219 to 241 Main Street
• Temporary pavement has been installed in the construction areas; final pavement may be installed later this year or during the 2022 construction season
• The parking lot is now open - please do not park adjacent to roll-off containers, porta-potty, or any construction equipment that is temporarily placed within the parking area
• Additional work: Includes lining the existing sewer in Amber Lane and lining a storm drain pipe under the parking lot which can be done with limited impacts on parking. The schedule for this work is not yet determined and will require temporary blocking off of several spaces once parking resumes.

North Farms Road

• The City contracted with Palmer Paving Corp last year (2020) for pavement reclamation and drain improvements on North Farms Road and North Maple Street
• The contractor or their subcontractors may be on North Farms Road or at Fitzgerald Lake this week finishing up contracted work, such as laying porous asphalt on the Fitzgerald Lake path, installing a pavement patch near Country Way or working on various punch list items

Paving Contract 2021

• The City has contracted with Warner Brothers, LLC for roadway improvements on Hayes Avenue, Loudville Road, Meadow Street, Pine Street (Maple Street to South Main Street) and Warfield Place
• Improvements include pavement reclamation, drainage work, sidewalk & ADA upgrades and pavement markings
• Work will also include intersection reconfiguration at Pine Street with Maple Street and Mann Terrace and bridge rehabilitation on Meadow Street over the Mill River
• Work is expected to continue through the end of the year
• Drainage work will continue this week on Meadow Street
• Various construction work, such as sign installation and sidewalk removal for portions to be abandoned, is anticipated to take place intermittently on Warfield Place over the next several weeks
• Pavement reclamation & binder course installation are anticipated to occur mid-September to mid-October
• Beginning Monday, August 30, 2021 at 7:00 AM, the Meadow Street bridge will be closed to ALL traffic (including bicycle & foot traffic) for up to a month; a detour (pdf) will be in place
• Motorists should expect traffic delays and seek alternate routes

Roundhouse Parking Lot

• The City has contracted with Mass-West Construction for rehabilitation and expansion of the Roundhouse Parking Lot
• The project consists of repaving, restriping, addition of 22 spaces, expansion to the south with a realignment of the rail trail, drainage and lighting improvements, and landscaping in new dividing islands
• Work is expected to be completed by early fall 2021
• As of July 19th, the parking lot is closed to the general public until further notice
• A detour for the rail trail has been posted and will remain in place throughout construction
• Questions about the project should be directed to the Central Services Department

An overview of all current Public Works projects can be found by going to Current Projects.