Procurement News Notice |
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| PNN | 8768 |
| Work Detail | Improvements to intersections and traffic lights on Main Street are now clear to begin. The state Department of Transportation will soon begin a $3.6 million project to help improve the alignment of the street, running from the Basilliere Bridge north to City Hall. City Engineer John Pettis said Tuesday the roadwork will begin next spring and that the city will begin advertising for contractors later this month. He added 80 percent of the cost will be picked up by the Federal Highway Administration, while MassDOT will pay the remaining 20 percent. All that had to be done was for the city to obtain easement rights from Pentucket Five Cents Savings Bank on 1 Merrimack St. and Arrowpoint Burlington LLC, the company which owns the River's Edge Apartments on 1 Water St., which abut the road. In a series of 8-0 votes, the council went through the necessary motions Tuesday night to acquire the easements, paying $33,407 and $11,037 to Pentucket and River's Edge, respectively, to take control of the sidewalks of those properties. Councilor Joseph Bevilacqua abstained from the votes due to his capacity as president of the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce. Pettis said several abutters donated their easement rights, but that Pentucket and River's Edge didn't donate theirs. "We had to have appraisals done and, based on those appraisals, we have to pay damages to use those properties," he said. Three intersections along the road — at Merrimack Street, Ginty Boulevard, and Summer Street — have each been listed by the state's Department of Transportation on the state's top 200 crash intersections. In addition, Pettis told the council the project will upgrade the traffic control mechanisms which control traffic lights at all three intersections, and two more to the north, to improve coordination between the lights. "The traffic flow through the area should be much better," said Pettis. The city engineer explained that there will be a "significant taking" of sidewalk property from the Market Basket plaza along Main Street, which doubles as Route 125. Councilor Melinda Barrett asked Pettis if the improvements will include a troublesome left turn signal exiting Water Street, to which Pettis replied that it would. "Those quick, three-second green lights you have at the (Ginty) Boulevard ... there's a lot of improvements," he said. "The intersections haven't run coordinated for decades." Walkers looking to cross the street at the Summer Street intersection have long stopped traffic for all drivers when pressing the walk button, but Pettis said that is about to change, as well. "Now what it'll be is, if you're crossing Main Street, Main Street will stop. If you're crossing Summer Street, then Main Street will still be moving," he said. "(Walkers) will have to be a little more aware, and drivers will have to be more aware, but it'll improve traffic." Councilor Mary Ellen Daly O'Brien said her family has always been on her case about fixing these intersections and said the alignments will make for a "vast, vast improvement" for drivers. "On Summer Street and Winter Street, sometimes only one car gets across," she said of the pesky light by City Hall and the former St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church. "There's not a lot of choices to get around that." Mayor James Fiorentini said he hopes this improvement project will be the first of many which will "improve the gateways" to the city. "This is one we've been working on for many, many years," he said, thanking Pettis and his Chief of Staff David Van Dam for hustling to get the sign-offs from all the abutters. "Without them, this project wouldn't be going forward." |
| Country | United States , Northern America |
| Industry | Construction |
| Entry Date | 15 Oct 2016 |
| Source | http://www.eagletribune.com/news/haverhill/main-street-improvements-to-begin-next-spring/article_54bf38e0-2b39-5360-9649-66e207aa6366.html |
