News Flash

Highway Division Updates

• Last week, the Highway Division:
  • Repaired potholes on Bardwell Street & Spring Street and at Route 9/Look Park rotary
  • Installed and/or replaced signs on Bright Street, Cherry Street, Clement Street, Hatfield Street, Kensington Avenue, Locust Street, Maple Street, Milton Street, New South Street, Revell Avenue and Whittier Street
  • Swept Florence Center
  • Prepared soil for curbside lawn repairs
• Street sweeping has begun in Ward 1
  • Wards will be swept in the following order this year: 1, 2, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3
• 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 Sidewalks

• MassDOT has contracted with Gomes Construction Co. to upgrade sidewalk sections from bituminous concrete to 5-foot wide cement concrete along Bridge Street in the state roadway layout from Grant Avenue to Coolidge Avenue
• The project includes adding detectable warning panels and wheelchair ramps where needed at side street crossings within the project limits
• Gomes will be excavating existing sidewalks, grading and compacting base material, and forming and placing new concrete sidewalks; work should be complete this week
• Questions about the project should be directed to MassDOT District 2

Bridge Street, Pomeroy Terrace and Phillips Place Gas Main

• Eversource Gas is replacing gas mains on Bridge Street from the Fairgrounds to Pomeroy Terrace, down Pomeroy Terrace to Phillips Place, and down Phillips Place

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
• The Contractor will be installing a modular block wall and doing pier repairs under the I-91 overpass and installing water main at the intersection of Damon Road and Industrial Drive and down Industrial Drive
• Alternating one-way traffic will be in place at the work areas; police details will direct traffic
• Motorists should expect delays and seek alternate routes
• 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

Guardrail Improvements

• The City has contracted with Premier Fence LLC to install or replace guardrails at multiple locations on Arch Street, Chesterfield Road, Kennedy Road and Sylvester Road
• Work is anticipated to start in Spring 2022

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
• 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
• For the changeover to median lanes:
  • The northbound left lane will be closed Sunday, May 15th from 6:00 pm to 12:00 am
  • The northbound right lane will be closed Monday, May 16th from 12:00 am to 5:30 am
• The southbound left lane will be closed Tuesday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for for final work on median temporary roadway
• No work on Route 5 near the Exit 23 interchange is scheduled this week
• No work affecting Hockanum Road is scheduled this week
• Starting Sunday, May 22nd, and extending until at least Thursday, June 16th, there will be nightly closures of Route 5 at Exit 23 from 7:00 pm to 5:30 am Sunday through Thursday with a detour (pdf) in place
• 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
• The Contractor will be constructing sidewalks and shared use path from Finn Street to the bike path on the east side of the roadway and sidewalks on the west side and continuing construction of the rain gardens
• Alternating one-way traffic will be in place near Finn Street when required; otherwise, one lane in each direction will be maintained; police details will assist with traffic control
• Motorists should expect delays and seek alternate routes
• A pedestrian and bicycle detour will be in place until sidewalk paving is installed later this month: on the west side, the detour is up Myrtle Street to State Street to the bike path back to King Street, and on the east side, the detour is up North Street to the bike path back to King Street 
• Questions about the project should be directed to MassDOT District 2, project #607502

Laurel Street Infrastructure Improvements

• The City has contracted with JL Construction Corp to construct limited infrastructure improvements on Laurel Street
• Work includes new concrete sidewalk and sewer replacement from Chapel Street to approximately #14/21 Laurel Street as well as water and drain line connections to #23 in anticipation of future development
• The improvements are funded by a Housing Choice grant (pdf) and sewer enterprise funds
• Berkshire Design is the project design engineer
• The Contractor has demobilized and will return later this spring to install the final trench patch after any settlement has occurred and to replace sidewalk segments that were not installed properly
• Questions about the project should be directed to the Planning & Sustainability Department

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 Summer 2022
• The Contractor will be installing a valve on the 36-inch transmission main on Tuesday, May 17th; minor disruptions to water pressure and water discoloration may occur and the DPW will be flushing hydrants as needed when the main is put back online
• Police details will assist with traffic control during the valve installation and building delivery; alternating one-way traffic will be in place around the work area
• Motorists should expect delays and seek alternate routes

Levee Toe Drain Improvements

• The City has contracted with Ludlow Construction Co., Inc. for the installation of manholes along the land side of both the Connecticut and Mill River levee systems
• The project involves the installation of 28 new manholes and inspecting the toe drains running parallel to the levees via CCTV
• The Contractor has completed installing manholes and will continue inspecting pipes via CCTV during the next month

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 also includes intersection reconfiguration at Pine Street with Maple Street and Mann Terrace and bridge rehabilitation on Meadow Street over the Mill River
• Roadway paving is complete
• The Contractor will be repairing a headwall & installing guardrail on Loudville Road and anticipates sidewalk paving on Warfield Place this week
• Driveway repairs, sidewalk repairs, and other miscellaneous work are ongoing
• If necessary, police details will assist with traffic control

Pleasant Street Improvements

• The City has contracted with Ludlow Construction Co., Inc. for roadway improvements on lower Pleasant Street, between Hockanum Road and the roundabout at Conz Street
• Improvements include roadway reconstruction, drainage work, sidewalk and pedestrian & bicycle upgrades and pavement markings
• The project is scheduled to be completed by Fall 2022
• The Contractor will be paving the sections of roadway that are being rebuilt on Thursday, May 19th (weather permitting); removing and resetting granite curb will follow paving
• Alternating one-way traffic will be in place; police details and flaggers will assist with traffic control
• Motorists should expect delays and seek alternate routes
• Questions about the project should be directed to the Planning & Sustainability Department

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