The work to extend town water and sewer up Route 28 is proceeding on schedule, Public Works Director Mike Fowler said this week.
Fowler said the contractor for the project is working on a two-pronged approach, with one crew working its way east toward the Clam Haven/Grand View Flea Market intersection, commonly known as Webster’s Corner.
“They were working their way toward Clam Haven when they ran into ledge about 800 feet from Webster’s Corner,” Fowler said.
The contractor originally planned to do all the paving at the end but is paving some areas now, Fowler said, to mitigate concerns about dust.
The second crew is working its way south on Bypass 28 from Humphrey Road, he said.
“The process is going well,” Fowler said, and “the delays are more “tenable” than the ones last fall when they replaced a culvert. Instead of detours, there is alternate one-way traffic and most delays are one to four minutes”, he said. “It helps that school is out, as last fall’s project affected students going to and from South Range School”, he said.
In August the remainder of the sewer mains will begin to be installed as far as the Frost Farm, and that part of the project is expected to be done by November 2014. “The only part of the project left will be the construction of a booster pump station in 2015, and then the systems will be available for connection,” he said.
Last week’s completed projects include sewer main installation on Rockingham Road proceeding east from Bedard Avenue, sewer services installed on Rockingham Road, sewer main installation on the Bypass working south from Circle of Friends, and stumps removed along the Route 28 shoulder to Berry Road.
Though delays have been minimal so far, Fowler warned on the town Website that more significant delays may be seen for the next two weeks for northbound Route 28 motorists seeking to use Rockingham Road. Fowler wrote that traffic may be queued up in the left lane until there is ample capacity, so as not to block the signalized intersection at Route 28/Rockingham Road/Island Pond Road. He advised motorists heading north on Route 28 to use the Bypass as an alternate route to Route 102 West.
