Infrastructure projects to be completed before winter

Date: 10/31/2013

By Chris Maza

chrism@thereminder.com

LONGMEADOW – Work that recently began on Barrington and Chestnut roads is expected to be end in approximately three weeks, Department of Public Works Director Mike Wrabel said.

GEG Construction Inc., of Indian Orchard broke ground on a water project on Oct. 28 in the area and Wrabel said it is the intent to have the work done quickly to free up the roads before winter.

“We’re replacing a water main that is in pretty serious need of it,” he said. “We’ve got a goal of having it laid by Nov. 15.”

In addition to the installation of 2,200 of water main piping, the project will include the replacement of water service lines from the main to the property line, and paving of the road. All work will take place Monday through Friday between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., at which time the road will be closed to through traffic, with the exception of school buses and emergency vehicles.

Wrabel said he trusted the work would be completed in short order. He explained that GEG has done well with another ongoing project, the drainage project on Williams Street and Merriweather Drive, which is almost completed.

“That current project is going very well,” he said. “We have a couple hundred feet of pipe to lay on Woodside, but after that the focus is on clean up.”

That project, which includes the installation of 3,400 feet of drainage pipes, plus an additional 800 feet in water piping, paving and sidewalks, started on July 10 and is approximately two weeks behind schedule, Wrabel said.

Placement of existing gas lines, as well as inclement weather had slowed the project, however, Wrabel said he was pleased overall with the timetable.

“For a project of that size, we’ve been very close to the schedule that we anticipated and that can be difficult,” he said.

Clean up for the Williams Street/Merriweather Drive construction will include repairs to private property, specifically lawns, disturbed during the work.

“The focus is on cleaning up the yards,” Wrabel said. “It’s getting late in the season to do [grass] seed, but we will get loam down and replace any sidewalks that need it.”