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College Highway to receive improvements

By Katelyn Gendron

Reminder Assistant Editor



SOUTHWICK The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) has a $200 million backlog of infrastructure projects waiting for funding.

The prodigious need for infrastructure improvements coupled with the PVPC's minimal budget creates a 10-year gap from a project's conception to completion.

"As a region, we have about $150 to $200 million worth of infrastructure projects in some phase of design," Dana Rose, principal planner for the PVPC, explained. "We receive $15 million [in federal funding each year] to defray that backlog. It's just a long queue and that's why it takes so long [for projects to be completed]."

The process can be expedited, however, if a project receives a federal earmark such as the one granted for a 1.5-mile section of College Highway from Town Hall to Tannery Road. The $5 million project will include road widening for a center turn lane, concrete sidewalks and improvements to storm water drainage.

Rose noted that the project has only been on the MassHighway's Transportation Improvement Program's (TIP) list since 2003; but Congressman John Olver lobbied for a $3.1 million federal earmark to speed up the process. The remaining balance will be paid with state funds.

Klark Jessen, director of Communications in the Executive Office of Transportation, explained that the road widening required for this project will not require any land taking from the approximately 45 homeowners affected.

"Property owners will be contacted by [the Right of Way Bureau of] MassHighway when the design plans are ready, within the next few months," he said, adding that "the majority of the right-of-way issues will be temporary easements during construction or drainage easements where new drainage work is required."

Town Planner Marcus Phelps explained that the road widening and additional center lane will improve traffic flow, preventing congestion during peak travel times. He noted that drainage improvements will alleviate water backups in this area of town, mostly a problem during heavy rain storms.

Phelps said he is hoping that the construction of additional sidewalks will increase foot traffic downtown. He noted that the project calls for sidewalks on both sides of the road. Phelps added that there are only sidewalks on the west side of the street in most areas.

The project is in its final design phase and will advertise for bids next fall. Construction is projected to begin in the spring or summer of 2010.