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Friday, July 23, 2010

Don't Forget! --- Summer Office Hours

Just a reminder that my staff or I will be holding summer office hours in August.  Please see a previous post for times and locations.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Bates Bridge Update

Since our last update, this office has been working on the Bates Bridge 24/7!

Tuesday morning, staff and I attended a project briefing at MassHighway’s District 4 Headquarters in Arlington. I think it’s fair to say that we’ll work a little more closely with the MassDOT engineering staff going forward.

Wednesday night, we attended a Groveland Conservation Commission meeting and briefed the commissioners about bridge plans. Yesterday, Heidi Michitson and I went down to the site to see things for ourselves.

To recap, primary elements of the bridge work include the construction of a new movable span bridge, which includes the installation of drilled shaft foundations, reinforced concrete piers, a structural steel superstructure, and a concrete filled grid deck. What that technical jargon means to local residents will be explained as the work progresses.

This winter, temporary cofferdams will allow work to take place regardless of the weather. Cofferdams are designed to keep water (and soil) out of the excavation area. In this case, the cofferdam will give contractors a dry environment as they work below water level. Because of environmental restrictions (mostly wildlife/spawning related) in-water work can only occur between the winter months of mid-November and March 1st.

As you know, the traffic jams continue on both sides of the bridge. Overhead and underground utility relocation is well underway on the Haverhill side along Groveland Street, Old Ferry Road, and Orchard Avenue. That work will certainly be completed by the end of the year—and probably before Thanksgiving.

Hope this new information helps keep you cool over the weekend!

Friday, July 9, 2010

Newbury COA Yard Sale


FIRST ANNUAL NEWBURY COUNCIL ON AGING YARD SALE

SPONSORED BY

THE FRIENDS OF NEWBURY COUNCIL ON AGING

SATURDAY, JULY 17, 8 a.m. -- 2 p.m.

RAIN OR SHINE

Newbury Elementary School Gymnasium
63 Hanover Street
Newbury, MA  01951

Tables available            ~         $10 for Seniors            ~       $15 for General Public

Reserve a table by calling Barbara or MaryEllen at 978-462-8114.
There will be a 50/50 raffle, homemade sandwiches, and baked goods and a raffle table with wonderful prizes.


Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Bates Bridge Update

It’s been 100° outside for several days, so it seemed like a good time for a couple of Groveland Bridge updates. Things are moving along, so look for another next week.

As of today, the Bates Bridge reconstruction is 1% done.

The new bridge will be located approximately 60 feet downstream from the original bridge. The entire project will cost about $50 million and will be built by Cianbro Construction of Maine, the low bidders.

The project also includes reconstruction of approach roadways in both Haverhill and Groveland. Traffic signal and geometric improvements at the intersection of Groveland Street with Lincoln Avenue in Haverhill and at the intersection of Groveland Street with Main Street (next to Elm Park) in Groveland are also included.

Construction has been designed by the Massachusetts Highway Department and will be overseen by MassDOT, which is the new executive office of transportation that oversees all agencies.

MassDOT maintains that the existing bridge will remain open during construction…and I am taking them at their word.

At 1% completion, one significant problem has already happened—discovery of an old (possibly oil-filled) cable on the bottom of the Merrimack River. This cable was a surprise—and no one found it during project design and permitting. It will need to be removed to allow the installation of the bridge piers.

Cianbro also started tree removal on both sides of the bridge. Some of you were concerned by that, but MassDOT had told us that all the necessary permits and approvals were in place. (We’ll be confirming this with the communities.) The exception to that may be 4 trees on the Groveland side at Elm Park, but these probably won’t be dealt with until sometime next year.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Meadow Pond Trail Project



Last month I attended the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Meadow Pond in Groveland. The Bagnall School’s Ms. Duda and Ms. Seager’s 4th graders worked every week for the past year—rain or shine—clearing & mapping trails, building bridges and putting up new signs. If you haven’t been to Meadow Pond in a while, go check it out! The work these kids did is something our whole community can enjoy.