News Flash

Highway Division Updates

• Last week, the Highway Division:
  • Repaired potholes on Depot Avenue, Evergreen Road, Front Street, High Street, Hillcrest Drive, Keyes Street, Leonard Street, North Maple Street, Stilson Avenue & Upland Road and at JFK Middle School
  • Patched a driveway apron on Corticelli Street and a trench cut on Cooke Avenue
  • Installed, repaired and/or replaced signs on Acrebrook Drive, Beattie Drive, Elm Street, Fairway Drive, North Elm Street, North King Street, Old Springfield Road, Pine Brook Curve, Scanlon Avenue, South Street, West Street & Woodlawn Avenue and at Locust Street Transfer Station
  • Filled bin at Locust Street Transfer Station with wood chips
  • Began planning for the creation of outdoor dining spaces downtown
  • Prepared Glendale Road - Gate 2 for seasonal yard waste operations
  • Removed gravel from tree belt on Prospect Street near Lawn Avenue
  • Cleaned drainage line at Locust Street Transfer Station
• Annual street sweeping operations will resume soon; schedule TBD
• 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

Ongoing Projects

Bridge Street School Safe Routes to School

• MassDOT has contracted with Gomes Construction Company, Inc. to complete improvements that will enhance pedestrian safety near Bridge Street School
• The project will upgrade sidewalks, curbing and accessible ramps on Parsons Street and portions of Hawley Street; upgrade the pedestrian crossing on Bridge Street near Parsons Street including RRFBs; and reconstruct the intersection of Pomeroy Terrace with Bridge Street to install a raised crosswalk and to improve drainage
• The project is scheduled to be complete in Spring 2023
• The Contractor will be placing gravel and forming sidewalks on Hawley and Parsons Streets this week
• On-street parking will be prohibited in the following locations for the duration of sidewalk construction:
  • Hawley Street from Eastern Avenue to Holyoke Street
  • Hawley Street in the vicinity of Butler Place
  • Parsons Street from North Street to Walnut Street
• Questions about the project should be directed to MassDOT District 2, project #609915

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 2023
• The Contractor is expected to resume work the week of April 17^th
• Questions about the project should be directed to MassDOT District 2, project #608236

Dryads Green Extension

• The City has contracted with Geeleher Enterprises, Inc. to perform emergency work to stabilize the slope southwest of Dryads Green Extension in order to protect a nearby sewer system
• The Contractor has removed deadwood, installed crushed stone & riprap and made limited drain pipe repairs; the work area has been seeded & mulched and additional sediment controls have been installed
• The path from Dryads Green Extension to the Mill River is closed until further notice
• The DPW will periodically inspect this area throughout the spring to confirm site stability

Gothic Street & Texas Road Drainage Improvements

• The City has contracted with Baltazar Contractors, Inc. to conduct drainage improvements at the James House Parking Lot on Gothic Street and along Texas Road
• Work at the James House Parking Lot on Gothic Street includes removing a drain connection to the sewer system, installing new drain structures, repairing existing drain structures and installing a new drain connection to a manhole on Gothic Street
• Work on Texas Road includes installing a new drain system within the northeast section (near the dead end) and replacing a drain structure off the road
• The Contractor will be paving Texas Road this week; anticipated schedule is:
  
  • Tuesday, April 11^th: binder course
  • Thursday, April 13^th: raise structures
  • Friday, April 14^th: final paving
• The Contractor will be working on Gothic Street this week
• The James House Parking Lot will be closed for approximately two (2) weeks beginning Monday, April 10^th

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 Exit 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
• I-91 southbound, no traffic impacts are anticipated this week
• I-91 northbound, right lane closure on Monday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., this week
• Route 5, no traffic impacts are anticipated this week
• Hockanum Road, no traffic impacts are anticipated this week
• Questions about the project should be directed to MassDOT District 2, project #606552

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
• The project will allow for the eventual demolition of the Audubon Road water storage tank
• The project is scheduled to be completed in Spring 2023
• Electrical work and final site work will continue this week

Manhan Rail Trail Retaining Wall

• The City has contracted with Clayton D. Davenport Trucking, Inc. to construct a supplemental retaining wall on the Manhan Rail Trail near Veterans Field off West Street
• The project includes constructing a gabion basket rock wall to buttress the existing stone retaining wall and filling an abandoned brick sewer with flowable fill to provide a sufficient foundation for the new wall
• Construction is scheduled to be completed in late Spring 2023
• The abandoned sewer line has been filled
• The Contractor will begin constructing the wall this week
• The rail trail will be closed during construction work hours, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with a detour (pdf) in place
• Questions about the project should be directed to the Planning & Sustainability Department

Winter Street Reconstruction

• The City has contracted with Caracas Construction Corporation for the full depth reconstruction of Winter Street, including water & sewer mains and service connections and sidewalks
• Construction is scheduled to be complete by Fall 2023
• The Contractor will be connecting temporary water services on Monday and Tuesday and begin the new sewer installation this week

Projects to Resume Spring 2023

• Leonard Street Realignment
• Levee Toe Drain Improvements
• Levee Vegetation Management
• Main Street - Florence

Information & Notification

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

Sign up for automatic notifications via the Notify Me system on the City's website. Please sign-in (at the top of the page) and then subscribe to the "Public Works" category under News Flash (at the bottom of the page).