Road Construction Schedule 2017-2019
(Click to Enlarge Image)
Description of Projects:
Albion Street/Day Street | Tremont Street (Lynn Fells Parkway to West Emerson) |
West Hill Avenue/York Terrace/Botolph Street | Spear Street/Hancock Street |
Aaron Street | Cleveland Street | First Street (Ashcroft Road to Sixth Street) |
North and South High Streets | Warwick Road/Perkins Street (from Warwick to City Limits) |
Altamont Avenue | Florence Street | Sewer Infiltration and Inflow (I/I) Investigations and Rehabilitation | Water Main Flushing
Albion Street/Day Street
The work in this neighborhood began with gas main replacement on a portion of Albion Street by National Grid in spring 2017. The old cast iron gas main, as well as any older services between the main and the residences, were upgraded to plastic pipe. This is part of National Grid’s region wide project to replace old, leak prone gas pipes with new plastic pipes. Following this work, all gas infrastructure on both Albion and Day Streets will be plastic and thus less prone to leaks. Next, the City, with our contractor, Commonwealth Construction & Utilities, is replacing any water services within the City’s right-of-way that are made of older materials such as lead or cast iron. New copper piping will be installed from the water main in the street to the shut-off box, typically in the sidewalk. Finally, in late-summer or fall 2017, the City will return with our paving contractor, D&R Paving, to perform final restoration of the roadway and sidewalks. This work will include resurfacing the roadways, replacing concrete sidewalks in any locations that have been disturbed or require replacement due to cracking or other defects, and resetting curbing where necessary. Disturbed areas of the grass strip between the sidewalk and the street or on private property will be loamed and seeded in the fall.
Tremont Street (Lynn Fells Parkway to West Emerson)
Water main replacement on Tremont Street between Lake Avenue and the Parkway took place in December 2015. All water services within the City’s right-of-way were also replaced as part of this project. National Grid then began gas main replacement in 2016 and recently completed this work in June 2017. Tremont Street is scheduled to be paved in late-summer 2017. This work will include resurfacing the roadway, replacing concrete sidewalks in any locations that have been disturbed or require replacement due to cracking or other defects, and resetting curbing where necessary. Disturbed grass areas will be loamed and seeded in the fall.
West Hill Avenue/York Terrace/Botolph Street
As part of their region wide initiative to replace leak prone gas infrastructure, National Grid began replacing the gas mains on West Hill Avenue, York Terrace, and the portion of Botolph Street between West Hill and York in spring 2017. All older services between the gas main and the residences were also upgraded to plastic. This work will be completed in summer 2017, and pavement restoration is scheduled for fall 2017. Final pavement restoration will be provided by National Grid and will be performed by either a contractor of their choice or by the City’s contractor, D&R Paving. Disturbed areas of grass or other pavement will also be restored this fall.
Spear Street/Hancock Street
The work in this neighborhood began with gas main replacement on both Hancock and Spear Streets in spring 2017, continuing into the summer. The old cast iron gas main, as well as any older services between the main and the residences, were upgraded to plastic pipe. This is part of National Grid’s region wide project to replace old, leak prone gas pipes with new plastic pipes. Following this work, all gas infrastructure on both Spear and Hancock Streets will be plastic and thus less prone to leaks. Next, the City, with our contractor, Commonwealth Construction & Utilities, is replacing any water services within the City’s right-of-way that are made of older materials such as lead or cast iron. New copper piping will be installed from the water main in the street to the shut-off box, typically in the sidewalk. Finally, in fall 2017, the City will return with our paving contractor, D&R Paving, to perform final restoration of the roadway and sidewalks. This work will include resurfacing the roadways, replacing concrete and asphalt sidewalks in any locations that have been disturbed or require replacement due to cracking or other defects, and resetting curbing where necessary. Disturbed areas of the grass strip between the sidewalk and the street or on private property will be loamed and seeded in the fall. A public meeting will be held in July 2017 to discuss plans for the final restoration of areas of missing sidewalks and berm or curbing on both Spear and Hancock Streets. Notification of this meeting will be provided to residents via hand-delivered flyers.
Aaron Street
As part of their region wide initiative to replace leak prone gas infrastructure, National Grid began replacing the gas main on Aaron Street in summer 2017. All older services between the gas main and the residences will also be upgraded to plastic. Roadway and sidewalk restoration, where applicable, is scheduled for fall 2017. Final pavement restoration will be provided by National Grid and will be performed by either a contractor of their choice or by the City’s contractor, D&R Paving. Disturbed grass areas will be loamed and seeded this fall as well, following final paving.
Cleveland Street
Work on Cleveland Street began in June 2017 with targeted water system improvements. Following water work, the City will return with our contactor, D&R Paving, to perform drainage improvements between West Wyoming Avenue and Hurd Street. Based on National Grid records, gas piping on Cleveland Street is plastic, therefore no gas upgrades are required. However, any property owners who do not presently have gas service and would like to convert to natural gas would be required to do so at this time, as there will be a five-year moratorium on cutting the new pavement once the street is paved. Upon completion of water and drainage work, targeted for late-summer 2017, Cleveland Street will be repaved, granite curbing will be adjusted as necessary, and any damaged sidewalk blocks will be replaced.
First Street (Ashcroft Road to Sixth Street)
Work on First Street is being performed in conjunction with the addition of modular classrooms at the Winthrop School. Therefore, roadway and utility work is focused in the area between Ashcroft Road and Sixth Street. In June 2016, National Grid began gas main and service replacement along this corridor. This work will replace old cast iron gas piping with new plastic piping, such that all gas mains and services in this area will be plastic. This work is being performed as part of National Grid’s region wide program to replace older leak prone gas infrastructure with newer materials. Following this work, the City will be performing water main replacement work with a private contractor. The existing 6-inch water main will be replaced with a new 8-inch cement lined ductile iron water main. All water services within the right-of-way will be replaced with new copper piping. While the City will not be replacing water services on private property, we encourage property owners with older pipe materials (lead and cast iron) to replace their water services as well. Following the completion of gas and water work, our paving contractor, D&R Paving, will be modifying the frontage along the Winthrop School to install a new student drop-off area and sidewalk, and then First Street will be paved between Ashcroft Road and Sixth Street. The City will also be replacing concrete sidewalk blocks where necessary. This work is all scheduled to take place prior to the opening of school. Final loaming and seeding of disturbed areas is anticipated to be completed in fall 2017.
North and South High Streets
Work in this neighborhood will begin with the replacement of any water services between the water main in the street and the property line with new copper piping in all locations that presently have older materials (lead or cast iron). While the City will not be replacing water services on private property, we encourage property owners with older pipe materials to replace their portion of the water services as well. Later this summer, National Grid is scheduled to begin gas infrastructure replacement. This work is being performed as part of National Grid’s region wide program to replace older leak prone gas infrastructure with newer materials and will consist of replacement of old cast iron gas mains with new plastic mains. Any services that are not currently plastic will also be upgraded, such that all gas infrastructure in this neighborhood will be plastic upon completion of the project. Final paving and sidewalk work on North and South High Streets is scheduled for spring/summer 2018. Given the terrain in this neighborhood, the plans for improvements include asphalt berm and sidewalks, the addition of a grass strip between the berm and sidewalks wherever feasible, and resurfacing of the roadway. These improvements are intended to provide aesthetic benefits as well as improving the surface of the roadway and the safety and evenness of the sidewalks.
Warwick Road/Perkins Street (from Warwick to City Limits)
Work in this neighborhood will begin with the replacement of gas mains on Warwick Road from Vinton Street to the Lynn Fells Parkway and on Vinton Street from Warwick Road to Glen Road in summer 2017. The old cast iron gas mains, as well as any older services between the mains and the residences, will be upgraded to plastic pipe. This is part of National Grid’s region wide project to replace old, leak prone gas pipes with new plastic pipes. Following this work, all gas infrastructure along this corridor will be plastic.
In winter 2017, the City, with our consultant Tata & Howard, completed a citywide Capital Efficiency Plan (CEP) that identifies specific water mains requiring replacement or other improvements. Warwick Road was identified as the highest priority area for water main improvements in Melrose. During July 2017, our consultants will be completing design and bid documents for water main improvements in this neighborhood. Specifically, Warwick Road presently has two water mains: one 16-inch and one 6-inch diameter main. Residential water services are currently connected to the 6-inch main. This project will include abandoning the old, undersized 6-inch main and connecting new copper services from the 16-inch main to approximately the property line at each property. The CEP also recommends the replacement of the 6-inch water main on Perkins Street from Warwick Road to the City limits with a new 8-inch cement lined ductile iron main, which is currently planned to be performed as part of this project provided that bid prices allow for this portion to be funded. All water work is scheduled to be performed in fall 2017.
After allowing the gas and water trenches one winter season for any trench settlement, the City will return in 2018 with our paving contractor, D&R Paving, to resurface any disturbed roadways. Pavement restoration in the disturbed area of Vinton Street may be performed by a contractor for National Grid or may be performed by the City’s contractor. At that time, granite curbing and concrete sidewalks will be repaired or replaced as needed, and final loaming and seeding of the neighborhood will be performed to restore grass areas.
Altamont Avenue
In early summer 2017, National Grid began gas main and service replacement on the portion of Altamont Avenue nearest to Upham Street in Melrose. This segment had an older cast iron gas main, which was replaced as part of National Grid’s region wide initiative to replace old, leak prone gas pipes with new plastic pipes. Upon completion of this work, all gas infrastructure on Altamont Avenue will be plastic. Note that the eastern end of Altamont Avenue does not presently have gas service. If a gas main extension is desired by the neighborhood, this should be initiated as soon as possible, in order to have the main installed before final roadway paving in 2018, when a five-year moratorium will begin for cutting the new roadway.
In winter 2017, the City, with our consultant Tata & Howard, completed a citywide Capital Efficiency Plan (CEP) that identifies specific water mains requiring replacement or other improvements. Altamont Avenue was identified as one of the highest priority streets for water main replacement, due to a combination of an older, undersized main and water pressure complaints received by the City over time. The CEP recommends replacement of the existing 6-inch water main with a new 8-inch cement lined ductile iron main. This water work is currently in the design phase and is scheduled to be performed in fall 2017. After allowing the gas and water trenches one winter season for any trench settlement, the City will return in 2018 with our paving contractor, D&R Paving, to resurface Altamont Avenue. Final loaming and seeding of the neighborhood will also be performed to restore any disturbed grass areas.
Florence Street
In fall 2017, National Grid is scheduled to begin gas main and service replacement on Florence Street between West Foster Street and West Wyoming Avenue. This roadway has a cast iron gas main, which is being replaced as part of National Grid’s region wide initiative to replace old, leak prone gas pipes with new plastic pipes. Upon completion of this work, all gas infrastructure on this segment of Florence Street will be plastic. In winter 2017, the City, with our consultant Tata & Howard, completed a citywide Capital Efficiency Plan (CEP) that identifies specific water mains requiring replacement or other improvements. Florence Street was identified as a roadway that would benefit from water main replacement if other work was planned on the street. Given the need to replace the gas main, water main replacement was planned for the 2018 construction season. This water work is currently in the design phase. After allowing the water trenches one winter season for any trench settlement, the City will return in 2019 with our paving contractor, D&R Paving, to resurface Florence Street. The planned roadway restoration will also include replacement or repair of granite curbing and concrete sidewalks. Final loaming and seeding of the neighborhood will also be performed to restore any disturbed grass areas once all other work is complete.
Sewer Infiltration and Inflow (I/I) Investigations and Rehabilitation
The City of Melrose’s sewer collection system is among the oldest in the country, with many pipelines dating back over 100 years. In an effort to reduce infiltration and inflow (I/I), which contribute clean groundwater and rainwater into the City’s sewer system, the City has undertaken a comprehensive program to reduce I/I where feasible and cost effective. Throughout spring 2016 and 2017, the City performed flow metering and follow-up investigations to identify the areas contributing the highest volumes of extraneous flows to the sewer system. These investigations included closed circuit television inspections of sewer pipelines, measurement of nighttime flows in each pipe segment between manholes, and manhole interior inspections. The last investigatory work to be performed will be smoke testing to find illicit connections between stormwater and sewer systems, scheduled for summer 2017. All of the data resulting from these investigations will be analyzed to develop a targeted construction program to reduce I/I. The construction projects will be designed and bid during summer 2017 and are scheduled to begin in fall 2017 and continue into 2018.
Water Main Flushing
The City has an ongoing program to flush all water mains in our potable water distribution system every other year. This program includes not only flushing out our water mains, but also exercising valves and hydrants throughout our distribution system to ensure that this infrastructure is in working order. This work improves water quality, pressure, and aesthetics, while also providing the opportunity to identify infrastructure requiring replacement. The next round of citywide flushing is scheduled for mid-September 2017. More detailed notice will be provided to residents when the specific flushing schedule has been established.