A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE was achieved in the replacement project of the Park Street Bridge when the Kodiak Corp. completed the installation of precast bridge beams July 31. The contractor is on track to have Park Street reopened by the contract completion date of Oct. 15, which is also highly dependent on the installation of gas mains by National Grid. (North Reading DPW Photo)
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — It’s August, and that means some long-awaited roadway repaving projects are now underway as part of the town’s ongoing roadway maintenance program.
Late last week, the residents of a dozen different streets were notified by letter from the Department of Public Works that they could expect work to commence in their neighborhoods as soon as Monday, Aug. 4. Those who have signed up for the town’s notification service also received similar messages through email blasts and/or the Reverse 911 system. Detailed information is also posted on the town website (northreadingma.gov) on the DPW page under the “Engineering” division.
Preparation activities for the anticipated work got underway last week by DPW crews and the town’s contractor. This work included marking and identifying all utilities. Any irrigation systems that are determined to be located on the public way will be marked or removed. It was noted that the town is not responsible for such structures when they are located in the public right of way.
Prior to construction, it is also necessary for crews to either remove or restrain back any shrubs or bushes that are either located on or overhang on the public way.
The following streets will be repaved in the coming days: Eugley Park East and West, Oakdale Road, Sherman Road, Devons Road, Dodge Road, Meade Road, Lee Road, Taylor Road, Juniper Road and Maple Road. The reclaiming of the pavement on Oakdale Road began this past Monday.
According to Town Engineer Dan O’Donnell the contractor performing the work is D&R General Contracting of Melrose, assisted by sub-contractor Nocella Paving.
The work entails removing and reclaiming the existing pavement of the entire roadway surface, which will then be graded followed by putting down new hot mix asphalt on the roadway surface in two layers.
As needed, new curbing, sidewalks and driveway aprons will be constructed.
O’Donnell adds that residents should be aware that their driveways may not “match” the roadway surface until final paving of the surface course is installed.
Throughout the construction process, no on-street parking will be allowed on any of the above-named streets for the duration of the work.
Work hours are Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. during which time police details will be present. Although residents should expect delays when traveling on these streets, the DPW, North Reading Police Department, and the contractor will work to get each resident in and out of their driveways as needed. Emergency vehicles and school buses will also be allowed passage.
Those with additional questions may call the DPW’s main line at 978-357-5260.
For general questions related to this project contact Town Engineer Dan O’Donnell via email at: dodonnell@northreadingma.gov.
PARK STREET BRIDGE UPDATE
The superstructure replacement project of the 112-year-old Park Street Bridge (between 286 and 289 Park St. near Winter Street) by the contractor, Kodiak Corp., is progressing. The water main relocation and roadway demolition work was completed in June followed by the demolition of the bridge superstructure and selective demolition of existing abutments in July. The precast bridge beams were successfully installed on July 31, according to an updated posted by the Engineering Department.
“The road opening date is highly dependent on National Grid’s final gas main installation, currently anticipated in early September, followed by final paving,” O’Donnell stated. The project began on May 5 and the contract runs through October 15. The Engineering Corp. (TEC) designed the project.
The project bid amount was $716,348.75. Last week it was announced by Rep. Brad Jones and Sen. Bruce Tarr that this project was awarded a state $500,000 Municipal Small Bridge Program grant. This grant program was created by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation in 2016 to enable municipalities to preserve, rehabilitate and replace bridges with a span of 10 to 20 feet that are located on and carry a public way because federal law does not recognize structures with a span of less than 20 feet as “bridges.” The Park Street Bridge crosses over Martins Brook, a tributary to the Ipswich River, and was determined to be a critical link between Routes 62 and 28.
The town was also awarded a $100,000 design grant in 2022 under this program to assist in engineering the upgrade to this bridge. Both grant awards represent the maximum amount of funding a community can receive under the program. Requests for funding at both stages are vetted by MassDOT. The $500,000 grant was one of 35 small bridge projects approved for funding this year statewide.