Compiled by The Bedford Citizen
Bedford’s Department of Public Works is always busy in the summer, but 2017 is filled with substantial projects. With thanks to Town Engineer Adrienne St. John for these updates:
Safe Routes to School/Great Road Traffic Signal at Mudge Way
J. Tropeano is working towards completing the project, hopefully by Labor Day and the start of school. The concrete sidewalk along Great Road between the Police Station and First Church should be poured. We’ve been working with the utility companies to have the remaining overhead wires relocated to the new poles since that will hold up finish paving.
The loops which will control the new traffic signals have been cut into the recently milled roadway, and most of the electric work is now complete. Some folks have asked if the new signals will only be activated when school is in session. Although the project is being funded by MassDOT under their Safe Routes to School program, the signals will work 24/7.
Repaving Local Roads
The easterly portion of Hartwell Road from South Road to Athena Lane has been milled and paved. National Grid’s crew has been working between Athena Lane and The Edge; the DPW hopes that their project, as well as the Massport runway work, will be complete so that the middle section of Hartwell Road can also be paved this year.
The Town’s other paving projects include:
- Washington Street
- Independence/Garrison/Patriot/Colony Circle
- Webber Avenue
- Otis/Cutler/Highland
- Lane/Winthrop
- DeAngelo Drive
These neighborhood roads were reclaimed i.e. the road was pulverized, re-graded, and paved in two courses. First, a binder course is laid down, and then the final pavement. These areas were targeted for reconstruction due to the recent gas main replacement and water main cleaning and lining projects.
Sidewalks on Hemlock Lane and Concord Road
Coming soon!
Liljegren Way Field and its Wetland Remediation
- Read about the Liljegren Way project in The Bedford Citizen
- Read Liljegren Fields, Part 1: Clearing the Woods, a photo essay
- Read Liljegren Fields, Part 2: Constructing a Wetland Replication Area
Additional Utility Company Projects
National Grid’s contractor NEUCO is working on Hartwell Road and North Road. The new Hartwell Road main is in place, but waiting to be tied in. As I understand, there’s a buried electrical cable that has to be pulled over so that their tapping machine can install the valves. Once the tie-in is complete, they will charge the new main and connect all the services to the new main.
