Southwick receives funds for bridge, road repairs

Date: 1/4/2011

Jan. 5, 2011

By Katelyn Gendron

Assistant Editor

SOUTHWICK — Thanks to a few million in state funding, some lobbying from legislators and help from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT), the town's main thoroughfare, College Highway and the Johnson Brook Bridge, is on tap to receive some much-needed infrastructure upgrades in 2011.

The bridge, deemed "functionally obsolete," according to Richard Nangle of the DOT, is part of the department's Accelerated Bridge Program (ABP), which fast tracks repairs for the state's aging bridges. DOT officials are currently reviewing the lowest bid proposal of $2.04 million, submitted by R. Bates & Sons Inc. of Clinton, prior to finalizing a construction contract.

"We worked hard to get that funded. The bridge itself needs to be shored up. It's important that the bridge and roads are repaired because they're the lifeblood of small communities like Southwick," State Rep. Rosemary Sandlin said of her work with State Sen. Michael Knapik to acquire funding for the projects.

Knapik noted Southwick officials are also awaiting bid proposals for the reconstruction of College Highway from Tannery Road to Town Hall.

"These projects represent an important investment in Southwick's highway infra-structure," he said. "We are fortunate to be in a position to take advantage of the competitive construction marketplace as evidenced by the bid coming in substantially below state estimates [of $2.9 million]."

Nangle noted that since the establishment of the ABP in 2008, "the number of structurally deficient bridges has been cut by 11 percent."

"Absent the program, the number would have grown," he added.

The Johnson Brook Bridge will be rebuilt in three phases, beginning this spring, while bids for the reconstruction of College Highway will be opened Jan. 19, Knapik noted.