Chapter 90 funding to focus on Main Street

Date: 6/15/2009

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



WILBRAHAM The Board of Selectmen recently announced that $480,273.15 would be awarded to Palmer Paving to complete road projects in fiscal year 2010 (FY10).

Where will the Chapter 90 money be going?

"That's an easy one [to answer]," Ed Miga, Department of Public Works (DPW) director and town engineer, said. "Main Street."

A length of Main Street has been in rough shape for a while, due to the sewer project that is being undertaken. Miga said the Chapter 90 funds will be used to reclaim a lot of Main Street, to have it regraded and to have a binder coat laid down. A binder coat is the first coat of blacktop. He said the town will then let the road settle for a year, completing the work after the sewer project is finished.

Miga noted that several smaller projects will be done to some of the street off of Main that are also connected to the sewer project.

"We'll also have a lot of drainage work done in house, by the [town's] Highway Department," Miga explained.

The Town Engineer stated that the amount of Chapter 90 money received this year is less than last year, and that even though the town "has a huge list" of roads that need work, the concentration this year will be on Main Street.

"Our goal is to finish it before school starts in August," Miga said.