State/Utility Project Work
- Continuing to coordinate with Eversource on a number of outstanding issues in Town including double poles, poles guyed into trees, leaning poles and pole guyed with rope (Merriam Street), Hazard trees at/near power lines, etc.;
- National Grid has submitted several permits for repairing long-standing gas leak locations;
- NGrid is looking to do tree work (pruning and removals) on several streets in the south section of Town.
National Grid Gas Relay Projects:- Church Street – (at/about Pigeon Hill Road) Work completed with the exception of the crossing over the MBTA/Rail Trail – Draft of revised proposal of bridge crossing provided to DPW for review and comments
Sherburn Circle and Tyler Road – Gas Main work completed. Chiltern Road – Gas Main work completedBittersweet Lane – Gas Main work completed Hickory Road – Gas Main work completed- Old Colony Road / Ferndale Road / Columbine Road / Dean Road – Gas main replacement ongoing. Anticipate a couple months to complete, approximately end of November;
- Winter Street (Brown to MassPike) – proposed hearing will be required with Select Board and pavement restoration needed curb to curb.
- Wellesley Street (649 to Sylvan Lane) – Approved at the Select Board in June 2021. Permit submitted at DPW and under review.
Myles Standish Road - gas main and service work completedPlymouth Road – gas main and service work completed- Hancock Road and Bradford Road - Gas main replacement ongoing. Anticipate Hancock Road mid-December to complete;
420 - 428 North Avenue – Pavement Restoration work anticipated June 2021Briar Lane - completed292-352 Winter Street - outstanding work to be completed- Black Oak Road and Nobscot Road – NGrid submitted road opening permit and a field walk is required prior to start of work;
- Oxbow Road – NGrid Plans submitted and permit being reviewed.
Merriam Street Bridge over the MBTA (owned and maintained by MassDOT)MassDOT has lowered the bridge carrying capacity of the bridge from 6 tons to
3 tons due to deficient superstructure elements. Note this was a new development as of June 11
th and the Town was in dialogue with MassDOT concerning options to increase the carrying capacity of said bridge in the short term and what are the long term options for this structurally deficient bridge. Short term solution (shoring installed)…..Town is awaiting MassDOT’s structures group to increase the carrying capacity of the bridge with replacement posting signs.
Eversource Utility Pole and Infrastructure Upgrades on 117/North Ave & Winter Street (from Natick Town line to just north of Bogle Street)The project goal is to gain system improvements for customers along this power grid. It is ongoing and is expected to be completed in 12 to 15 weeks which puts the project into the beginning of June (note that the Town is awaiting an update schedule from Eversource on status of their work). The overhead lines and the pole removals will follow.
All of the utility poles in this section will be replaced (72) and reconductored for system improvements. Tree pruning is completed. Eversource will be in contact with impacted customers as the project advances.
The DPW Director has asked for an update on Eversource completion schedule for their work as well as others (i.e. who is next on the overhead wire transfer), tree planting in Fall of 2021, etc. Eversource indicated that they will remobilize to North Avenue in September 2021 which has not yet happened. Latest update is that they will be having a crew working on this project 2-4 times per week depending on their work load. DPW Director has scheduled a meeting on October 29
th which was pushed to November 5
th due to the storm to further discuss activities remaining and estimated schedule. Based on field meeting, it is not anticipated that Eversource’s portion of the work will be completed before the end of the winter 2022.