The Department of Public Works has issued the following memorandum to the Board of Selectmen regarding projects completed in the 2019 construction season.
Road Restoration
The year started out with Eversource Energy coming into Town to mill and pave the roads where they had replaced gas mains the previous year. This work was a requirement of the Road Opening Permit issued by the Public Works. Roads repaved included:
- Chestnut Street from Main Street to Gay Street;
- Walnut Street from Main Street (to the crest of the hill);
- Oak Street from North Main Street to top of hill;
- Oak Street from Grove Street to Holabird Avenue;
- Walnut Street from Main Street to Grove Street;
- Walnut Street from mid-block to Holabird Avenue;
- Horne Avenue from dead end to mid-block; and
- Gibbs Street from North Main Street to Horne Avenue.
Road Pavement Maintenance
Later in the summer, the Highway Department was able to borrow a paving box from the Town of Colebrook which allowed shim coats to be placed on some of the worst locations. This was done on the following streets:
- Carey Avenue;
- West Wakefield Boulevard over isolated portions;
- South Road in Winchester Center and near the Torrington line;
- Chapel Road from Platt Hill Road to pavement end;
- Highview Drive;
- Marshall Street;
- Soldiers Monument driveway;
- Sunny Ridge Drive; and
- Grantville Road.
Additionally, the following 4.3 miles of road were crack sealed and chip sealed:
- Ash Road;
- Cedar Road; Colony Drive (from Oakdale Avenue to Holabird Avenue);
- Crown Street (from Hinsdale Avenue to Munro Place);
- Glendale Avenue; Grantville Road (from Danbury Quarter Road to Preston Road);
- Maloney Court (from Colony Drive to Glendale Avenue);
- Mountain View Terrace;
- Nanni Drive;
- Willow Street (from Rowley Street to Case Avenue); and
- Spruce Street.
Major Road Reconstruction
Major road reconstruction projects included the following areas:
- Gillette Road (from Boyd Street to Winchester Road);
- Grantville Road (from West Street to Preston Road);
- Reaching Hill Road (from Forest Avenue to end of pavement);
- Schueman Road (from Newfield Road to Mundry Avenue); and
- Stowe Road #2 from Stowe Road, to end of pavement.
Bridge Rehabilitation
There are two major Bridge projects under construction:
- Lanson Drive Bridge; and
- Sucker Brook Road Bridge.
Lanson Road has been opened as of November 30, 2019. Many items of work remain to be completed. The Sucker Brook Bridge will need the weather to cooperate for the paving and other finish work that needs to be completed. It is likely that it will not be reopened until spring, 2020. NJR Construction has been putting a lot of hours on these projects to get them completed.
Miscellaneous Projects
A new Salt Storage Shed was completed. The Public Works crew completed the site work for the new salt storage shed by preparing the foundation excavation and preparing the subbase prior to pavement. Iron Horse Structures constructed the foundation and the fabric building. A half years supply of salt and several storms worth of sand and salt mix are stored in the building. The building allows easy access for delivery trucks and allows the salt and sand to be mixed inside the building. This new building also resolves stormwater permitting issues raised in 2017 by the State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and removes the storage of these materials out of the 100-year flood area.
Additionally, the Water Department installed a new water main on Overlook Road in preparation for the road being reconstructed next year. The Town is working with consultants, Weston and Sampson, to divide construction of the Whiting Street project into phases. This is being funded through a connectivity grant received. Preliminary design of the project is nearly complete. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2020.
The preliminary design of the Bridget Street and Willow Street Intersection Realignment Project was reviewed with the Planning and Zoning Commission. Based on the good reception for the project, it has moved to final design. A draft final design should be ready this month with an anticipated finished design ready in February, 2020.
The Sue Grossman Still River Greenway plans are nearly complete. However, permitting issues remain to be resolved and several easements need to be finalized with landowners along the route of the greenway on Rowley Street.
Pavement reassessments were completed for all the town-owned and town-maintained roads. This assessment showed that the rate of deterioration has slowed. Continued investment in the roads will be needed to change this trend from decelerating deterioration to improvement of condition.
Main Street and Park Place West Landscaped Island: The Public Works Department cleaned up and prepared the sidewalk area to be ready for planting and for placing new sidewalks along Main Street. The landscaping and sidewalks are in place. The appearance of this intersection has improved.
The Public Works Crew refurbished a parking lot at the intersection of Lake Street and Meadow Street. This town-owned property was cleaned up and the land was graded for use as a parking area.
Fencing and vegetation was removed at six intersections to help improve their safety and appearance.
The Department of Public Works and Cardinal Engineering prepared an application for funding improvements to the Case Avenue Bridge. This bridge has been rated in 'POOR' condition for many years. The application was successful and the Town has just received commitment for approximately $1.5M toward the cost of the repairs needed.
Dirt Road Maintenance
The following dirt roads have undergone significant maintenance this year:
- Losaw Road: All sections open to year round traffic have been graveled and graded.
- Reaching Hill Road: The southern 600 feet has been graveled and graded.
- Preston Road: Full road has been graded.
- Old Danbury Quarter Road: Steep section has been filled with recycled pavement millings and graded to drain better.
- Old Waterbury Turnpike: Section from Rugg Brook to last house was regraded.
Please note that all of these projects made very good use of our recently purchased used vibratory roller!
Continuing and Future Projects
The Department of Public Works will be advertising an invitation to bid for over 75 hazard trees to be pruned or removed.
Work continues on a multi-year plan for road improvements in conjunction with the Long Range Planning Committee and the Finance Director in order to determine the proper method of funding the projects.
For the remainder of FY 2020, the Department of Public Works anticipates the following projects:
- Completing drainage repairs on Marshall Street;
- Finishing a sewer line on Overlook Road;
- Beginning the engineering design for Holabird Road (from North Main Street to Colony Drive);
- Completing designs for the bridges for Sucker Brook and Taylor Brook Roa on West Wakefield Boulevard and applying for State funding;
- Going out to bid for Overlook Road reconstruction;
- Going out to bid for Elm Street reconstruction;
- Sucker Brook Road will be peeled and paved and have guide rails replaced from the bridge to West Wakefield Boulevard after DEEP’s dam project completion;
- Beginning the design process for the Case Avenue Bridge; and
- Engineering drainage solutions for several problem areas on Wakefield Boulevard will begin.
Please be advised that the projects for FY2021 have yet to be finalized; however, it will be a very busy year for road reconstruction and maintenance.