Weekly Construction Updates
Highway Division Updates
- Last week, the Highway Division:
- Repaired potholes on Acrebrook Drive, Depot Avenue, Federal Street, Hillside Road, Ice Pond Drive, Island Road, South Main Street and Vernon Street
- Installed, repaired, replaced and/or removed signs on Bates Street, Harlow Avenue, Mary Jane Lane, Park HIll Road and South Street
- Repaired trench cuts on Elm Street, Federal Street and Hillcrest Avenue
- Annual ward street sweeping operations are underway in Wards 1, 2 and 7
- Wards will be swept in the following order this year: 7, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Federal Street remains reduced to one lane at the culvert crossing between Milton Street and Vernon Street until further notice
- Lovefield Street remains closed until further notice
- Old Wilson Road remains closed until further notice
- Portion of sidewalk in front of 56-58 Main Street remains closed until further notice
- 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
- To report an issue with a traffic sign, please submit a request via the Traffic Sign Issue Form
College Lane - Smith College Geothermal Project
- Smith College is undertaking a campus-wide geothermal energy project
- The project includes the installation of underground distribution piping across several City and private streets
- College Lane, from Elm Street to Green Street, will be closed to vehicular traffic from Monday, September 8th to Friday, October 3rd
- Sidewalk access will also be limited; a pedestrian detour will be in place
Dam & Flood Control System Vegetation Management
- The City has contracted with Cain’s Mechanical LLC for vegetation management on dams within the City’s watershed areas and at various locations throughout the levee and flood control system on both the Connecticut and Mill Rivers
- Work to mechanically remove unwanted woody growth and fallen trees and localized placement of rip rap for slope stabilization will be undertaken periodically system wide throughout the growing season
- The Contractor has demobilized and will return in late fall for a final mow of Connecticut River & Mill River levees
Easthampton Road & South Street (Route 10) Pedestrian Improvements
- MassDOT has contracted with Warner Bros., LLC to reconstruct & extend existing sidewalks and install crosswalk signals on Easthampton Road & South Street (Route 10) at Earle Street
- Lane shifts will be required for any curbing and sidewalk work; alternating one-way traffic will be required for any paving and line stripping operations; a police detail will assist with traffic management
- The project is substantially complete
- Crosswalk signals will be installed in the coming weeks
- Questions about the project should be directed to MassDOT District 2, project #612638
Glendale Road Landfill Drainage Repairs
- The City has contracted with Murray Excavating to repair damaged drainage infrastructure at the capped landfill on Glendale Road
- The Contractor will access the site via Gate 2, so motorists should be alert and use caution as trucks are entering and exiting the landfill
- Transfer station hours for yard waste (Gate 2) will not be impacted by work
- The project is complete
I-91 Bridges over Route 5 (Mount Tom Road), 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
- Construction is complete
- The Contractor may work on punch list items this week
- Questions about the project should be directed to MassDOT District 2, project #606552
Pavement Restoration - Eversource
- Eversource has contracted with Precise Paving Inc to restore roadway and sidewalk segments throughout the City that were previously trenched and temporarily patched for infrastructure improvements
- Permanent roadway patches will be installed on Chestnut Street, Grant Avenue, Maple Street, North Maple Street, Pine Street, Pleasant Street, Trumbull Road and Washington Avenue
- Permanent sidewalk patches will be installed on Bridge Street, Graves Avenue, Parsons Street and Walnut Street
- Work is scheduled intermittently throughout Summer & Fall 2025
Pavement Resurfacing 2025
- The City has contracted with Warner Bros., LLC for paving on the following streets: Birch Lane, Church Street, Country Way, Fair Street, Maplewood Terrace, Morningside Drive, Northern Avenue, Rustlewood Ridge, South Street, Winterberry Lane and Woodbine Avenue
- The project also includes sidewalk repairs on Northern Avenue, Rustlewood Ridge and Woodbine Avenue
- The Contractor is scheduled to work on the following this week:
- Sawcut and excavate driveways on Fair Street and Northern Avenue
- Patch berm pad on Country Way, Morningside Drive and Rustlewood Ridge
- Adjust utility structures on Church Street, Fair Street, Northern Avenue and Woodbine Avenue
Pothole Patching
- The City has contracted with Warner Bros., LLC to collaborate with the Highway Division on pothole patching throughout the City
- The contract is complete
Riverside Drive Sewer Repair and Bank Stabilization
- The City has contracted with Clark and Sons, Inc. to repair a broken sewer main along the Mill River in the vicinity of 620-660 Riverside Drive
- The project also includes stabilizing the riverbank damaged by erosion
- Maines Field will be used for staging, storage and site access
- The Contractor has completed vegetation removal and will install a coffer dam this week
Rocky Hill Greenway Multi-Use Path
- MassDOT has contracted with JL Construction Corp to construct a 0.5 mile multi-use path from the Manhan Rail Trail to Rocky Hill Road
- The project will improve pedestrian and bicycle facilities by connecting the residential areas along Rocky Hill Road and Ice Pond Drive to the New Haven and Northampton Canal/Manhan Rail Trail
- Rocky Hill Greenway Multi-Use Trail Map (pdf)
- Trail is closed due to active construction and will remain closed to all access until the project is completed
- Motorists should be alert and use caution as trucks and other heavy equipment are entering and exiting the site
- The Contractor will continue excavating trail to subgrade this week
- Questions about the project should be directed to MassDOT District 2, project #608413
Smith College Area Pedestrian Improvements
- The City has contracted with Pine Ridge Technologies, Inc. to install pedestrian improvements along Elm Street from Henshaw Avenue to Paradise Road and West Street from Green Street to Lower College Lane
- The project includes restriping crosswalk and pavement markings, replacing signage and installing rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB) & flexible delineator posts
- The project is substantially complete
- The Contractor may work on punch list items this week
Terrace Lane Reconstruction Project
- The City has contracted with A. Martins & Sons Construction Inc. for roadway and utility improvements on Terrace Lane
- The project includes replacing 700+ feet of water main, replacing drainage structures, rebuilding ADA accessible curb ramps and reclaiming & paving the roadway
- Notice to Residents (pdf)
- The Contractor has completed water service installations and will reclaim roadway this week
Tree Protection Zones
- The fencing that has been erected in areas of the City around trees is to protect them during the different phases of utility upgrades and other construction excavations that are within fifty (50) feet of a public shade tree. This protection policy (pdf) is a requirement under the City’s trench permit policy (pdf) and ensures that public shade trees are kept free and clear from trunk and root damage.
- Excavation contractors have a phased approach to utility upgrades where they replace the main lines first over multiple streets then return at a later date to install new services to homes and businesses. Once they complete these phases they will remove the tree protection and may erect them at another location where work has yet to begin. Their schedule, while followed closely by the DPW permit system, is largely based on their operational capacity and contractor availability.
Additional Information & Notifications
- 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).
