No weekend work, state says
UPDATED, May 27: Beginning the week of May 27, J.H. Lynch, MassDOT’s contractor, is taking initial steps to reconstruct Mass. Ave. in East Arlington, and a public meeting about the project is set for June 16.
Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine, in an update to selectmen May 19, repeated these key dates from a state news release and addressed the board’s concerns about communication.
“There will be no surprises” for neighbors, he said.
A dedicated liaison for the project, Nathaniel Cabral-Curtis, has been hired to respond to the public’s questions. He met with some East Arlington business owners the week of May 19. Surveyors were seen working at the Cambridge line on May 27.
Word on the Street reported that he works for Howard Stein-Hudson, the town’s design consultant on the Arlington Center project.
State explains 610 days
Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine told selectmen the state has forecast the project will take 610 days. He was asked to clarify whether this refers to total days or work days.
Chapdelaine responded May 22 with an answer from MassDOT: “The contract time duration is to be 610 days from the Notice to Proceed, which was issued on April 30, 2014.
“The 610 days are calendar days which results in a completion date of Dec. 30, 2015; however since this date is in the middle of the winter shutdown period, the contract completion date was extended to April 15, 2016.”
Chapdelaine added that MassDot said there is currently no weekend work planned. “The contractor would have to demonstrate a significant benefit in terms of convenience in order for MassDOT to consider weekend work,” he wrote.
Michael Verseckes, a MassDOT spokesman, wrote May 20: “Construction scheduling can be affected by a number of variables — principally weather. We are looking to have this project complete by spring 2016.”
Word on the Street reported, “The Town and the state have long described the project in terms of 18 months or 2 construction seasons. Delaying the start of construction until June has pushed the completion date into a third construction season, since little or no work will take place from November to March.”
Selectman Diane Mahon expressed fear about possible delays. She cited the project to reconfigure and rebuild Forest Street. “It was supposed to be nine months and took five years,” she said.
She asked about timely notifications to the neighborhoods. She also wanted to make sure Lynch knew about drop-off/pickup times of Hardy students and that Town Meeting members be informed.
After these questions, she said, “This is a fantastic project.”
Selectman Joseph Curro Jr. said he was pleased to see that project was incorporating some lesson learned from the Symmes project, now Arlington 360. They include having for the public a three-week look-ahead on construction as well as a liaison.
Curro wanted to know whether there would be night work and whether the liaison would be available to answer public questions day and night.
State explain’s liaison’s role
Cabral-Curtis, who started his job May 19, was asked to comment about that. Responding Tuesday, May 20, was Donny Dailey, of the Government Affairs-Highway Division. He wrote:
“Nate’s role … is to assist MassDOT and the Town of Arlington in helping out at public information meetings, assist the agency with press releases, assist in getting the word out when a change in traffic patterns is on the horizon and as you say generally being available to help get answers from questions and concerns from members of the community and other stakeholders.
“Generally speaking, Nate will be available in the standard working window, 9-5 on weekdays. Other inquiries such as evening calls or emails will be responded to as soon as practical.”
He will be the contact for the public, but not the press.
Curro also noted that Adam Kurowski, town GIS director, has produced on short notice a map of business the project affects.
Dunn: ‘We’ll all feel some pain’
Selectman Dan Dunn noted: “We’ll all feel some pain” from this project. He said he hoped all could work together to make it an excellent result.
In the audience was Maria Romano, taking notes. Outside in the hall was Eric Berger, who came in after the meeting ended. Both have long question the Corridor project. They have been asked to comment.
State news release cites start date
The state news release reporting the May 27 start date of initial work said that early operations will include installing signs describing construction periods, erosion control and protection for trees in the construction area as well as preparatory drainage work, a news release said Monday, May 19. None of these elements will affect sidewalks or have associated peak-hour traffic impacts.
The town of Arlington will be the host for a public information meeting at the Thompson School’s gym at 7 p.m. Monday, June 16. The meeting will provide residents with an opportunity to learn more about the project’s construction phase, to meet the project team and take a look at operations for this year’s construction.
The MassDOT reconstruction of Mass. Ave. runs from Pond Lane to Cambridge. This $6.84 million project will reallocate roadway space to include a three-lane cross section for vehicles, with new bicycle and pedestrian amenities. Sidewalks will be rebuilt, crosswalks enhanced and traffic signals modernized.
The project is expected to be complete in the spring of 2016, as Chapdelaine told YourArlington in April.
For immediate questions or concerns, contact project liaison, Nathaniel Cabral-Curtis at ncabral-curtis at hshassoc.com or 617-482-7080 x236.
Word on Street reports early signs of work
Signs of work on the Mass. Ave. Corridor project in East Arlington appear last week, as the town’s director of planning told Adam Auster’s Word on the Street blog that the public can expect an update in June before serious work begins. For details, click here >>
Work on the Mass. Ave. Corridor project could get underway in June once the state gives the go-ahead in May, YourArlington reported in April.
Michael Verseckes, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, wrote in an email April 22 that the state expects the official Notice to Proceed for the project, planned for Pond Lane to the Cambridge line, to be issued within the first week and a half of May.
A preconstruction conference held April 29 involved town officials, MassDOT personnel, representatives of the contractor and utilities, among others. Following that meeting, the state is expected to provide a roadmap to the project; that is, steps residents can expect to occur.
“At this time,” he wrote April 24, “we expect the job to ramp up around the first or second week (give or take) of June.”
Job expected to take 18 months
Chapdelaine said April 23 that the work is expected to take two full construction seasons, or about 18 months.
The $5,978,060.50 contract for construction was awarded March 19 to J. H. Lynch & Sons Inc. of Millbury.
The contract price will be higher than that after adding these costs: traffic police and flaggers, a contingency fund as a protection against cost overruns or unexpected issues that could surface during construction as well as for setting up a field office. Verseckes wrote that “these variables are not included in the bid price, because it is expected that they will cost a certain amount no matter who the contractor is and what their bid is — so essentially, they are removed from the bidding process but are included in the final cost.”
The project is funded 80 percent by the Federal Highway Administration and 20 percent by MassDOT.
Town paid part of design
To design the project, the town of Arlington paid $195,000, and the state paid $348,000, Laura Wiener of the town planning department wrote April 22.
Verseckes wrote that the Corridor project will receive funds from the transportation bond bill that was signed into law April 18. Because it was close to passing, MassDOT received permission to continue the procurement process on projects that had already been advertised, such as the Mass. Ave. Corridor.
The work — whose main goal is to improve safety — includes the reconstruction of existing pavements, lane reconfiguration, and traffic signal and access improvements.
The construction aims to improve movements of vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians; enhance streetscape and also boost safety by improving the roadway crossings.
Word on the Street, Adam Auster’s blog, reported Feb. 20, that four bids for the Mass. Ave. Corridor project were opened. They were:
- J H Lynch Sons Inc—$5,978,060.50
- Newport Construction Corporation—$6,187,191.40
- A. R. Belli, Inc.—$6,216,653.00
- DeFelice Corporation—$6,433,732.50
A fifth contractor, J. Tropeano Inc., did not qualify.
Some steps to note
The town’s website makes these suggestions about what is to occur during construction:
— Mass. Ave. and all side streets will remain open to traffic at all times during the work.
— Reasonable access will be provided for pedestrians and vehicles through the project and to abutting properties.
— The contractor will provide written notice to all abutters one week in advance of any sidewalk reconstruction work and provide safe access to abutting properties during construction.
— Throughout the construction process, MassDOT will have a resident engineer on-site to oversee construction.
— Once the contractor is chosen, the town will work with MassDOT’ resident engineer and the contractor to set up a process for distributing information to residents and businesses, and addressing concerns.
April 24, Word on the Street: Mass. Ave. funding included in bill
Sign up for project alerts
To stay abreast of its progress and upcoming schedule, sign up for email notifications by subscribing to the “East Arlington Mass. Ave. Rebuild” email list here (scroll to bottom of page).
Or you can follow progress online at arlingtonma.gov/massaverebuild.
The project will upgrade the aging infrastructure and improve safety for all users. The length of the project is estimated at two construction seasons.
Town officials understand that this will have impacts on residents, businesses and travelers in the area. In the coming months, the town will work with MassDOT to develop a detailed communication plan to keep interested parties informed of upcoming work.
Arlington’s main thoroughfare and all side streets “shall remain open to traffic at all times during the period of time required for the completion of the work,” the state Department of Transportation’s bid specifications say. “Reasonable access shall be provided by the contractor for the convenience and safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles through the project and also to the abutting properties.”
For additional information about this project, visit the state website or arlingtonma.gov/massave.
Related links to Mass. Ave. project:
Sept. 22, 2013: First report of state seeking bids
Word on the street, May 30, 2013: Mass. Ave. design clears state hurdle; U.S. decision awaited
Word on the Street, Feb. 3: Yet another public hearing || Key claims questioned, Feb. 4
Globe, Aug. 8, 2009: Eric Berger’s cause | E. Arlington Concerned Citizens (Part 2) | Livable Streets Coalition | Town project information
This story was published Thursday, April 24, 2014, and updated May 27.
