Town Engineer Updates Patch on Summer Projects

Burlington Patch sat down with Town Engineer Tom Hayes this week to get an update on the two major projects underway this summer in Burlington.  According to Hayes, both the along Francis Wyman Road and the Sewer Force Main project are moving along as expected.

According to Hayes, the water main project is on track for completion by September 2011. The water main itself is in the ground and has been pressure tested. The water is drinkable, said Hayes. The crews are now working on tying in services and switching over from the old pipes to the new ones. 

There is one major connection left to be completed on Cedar Street. That portion of the project should be completed within three weeks.  Next, the gas company has some work to complete and the Town will shift its attention to drainage work along Wing Terrace.  Detours will continue throughout the summer but traffic flows should return to normal by the beginning of September.

The Sewer Force main project, which will run from the Terrace Hall pumping station to South Bedford Street at Burlington Mall Road, is moving more slowly. The project has been plagued by four water main breaks which have caused significant inconvenience to residents. One resident of Sandybrook Road complained of losing water in his home for over twelve hours on two occasions and shorter interruptions on other days.  Hayes acknowledged the situation but explained that such problems are not uncommon on a project of this scope.

“The water main pipes are very brittle and easily cracked,” said Hayes. “We try to prevent water shutoffs, but sometimes they are unavoidable.”

As a result, the department has asked the contractor, Waterline Industries of Seabrook, to provide a cost estimate for replacing the water main pipes along some sections of the project at the same time the force main is installed.

The water mains are all forty to fifty years old and breaks are common. Hayes explained that it would be a benefit to the Town if these mains can be replaced as part of this larger project.  Hayes noted that the force main project includes a $1 million contingency. If the additional work can be completed for that amount or less, it makes sense to do it now.  If the estimate is higher than $1 million, Hayes will meet with Town Administrator Bob Mercier to discuss options. The original appropriation for this project was $9 million. The project estimates came in significantly below that figure, so Hayes is hopeful that the additional work can be completed within the original budget.

Locals along James Street also noticed that work seemed to slow down this past week and theorized that the project is stalled due to the presence of ledge below the street.  Hayes confirmed that the work crews have indeed hit ledge on James Street but noted that the discovery was not unexpected.

“The crews will have to drill and blast through that section of the ledge, but it will not change the project significantly,” stated Hayes.

Crews are also at work along Terrace Hall Avenue and according to Hayes, they are working this week to pinpoint the exact location of utilities.  Hayes explained that the utility locations are noted on maps, but the maps do not show depth. In addition, roadwork performed over the past fifty years can cause changes to the reference points and thus make the utilities difficult to locate.

Hayes noted that Waterline has eighteen months to complete the project and it is the contractor who is responsible for adhering to the schedule. Ideally, the Terrace Hall Avenue portion of the project will be completed before school starts in the fall, but contingency plans are in place if buses need to be rerouted around the work crews.

“We recognize the inconvenience to residents,” said Hayes. “But in the long term these projects will benefit the entire town.”