Middle Road Transmission Main

Construction Update: ¹

Week of July 15th:

Pipe Crew:
- Crew will be working in the northbound lane of Rte. 127 in a southernly direction.
Pavement Crew:
- Paving on Rte. 127

Week of July 1:

Pipe Crew:
- Monday-Wednesday: Crew will be working in the northbound lane of Rte. 127 in a southernly direction.

Week of June 24th:

Pipe Crew:
- Crew will be working in the northbound lane of Rte. 127 in a southernly direction.
Pavement Crew:
- Binder and surface paving on Rte. 127

Week of June 17th:

Pipe Crew:
- Crew will be working in the northbound lane of Rte. 127 in a southernly direction.
Pavement Crew:
- Binder and surface paving on Rte. 127
- Tuesday/Wednesday – Nequasset Rd./Rte. 127 intersection and Nequasset Rd.

Week of June 10th:

Pipe Crew:
- Crew will be working in the northbound lane of Rte. 127 in a southernly direction.
- Working on Nequasset Rd.
- Significant ledge removal anticipated.
Pavement Crew:
- Binder and surface paving on Rte. 127

Week of June 3rd:

Pipe Crew:
- Working on Nequasset Rd.
- Significant ledge removal anticipated.
Pavement Crew:
- Binder and surface paving on Rte. 127

Week of May 27th:

Pipe Crew:
- Working in the intersection of Rte.127 and Nequasset Rd.
- Continuing up the Nequasset Rd. from the Rte. 127 intersection.
- Significant ledge removal anticipated.
Pavement Crew:
- Pavement rehab and shoulder work.
- First week of June: surface paving will begin.

Week of May 20th:

North End Pipe Crew: Approximately 400′ left of pipe work to complete on the Nequasset Rd.
- Crew will be working from the intersection of Rte. 127 towards Rte. 1
- Significant ledge removal anticipated.
South End Pipe Crew: Approximately 1 mile left of pipe work to complete on Rte. 127
- Cross cut excavations near the intersection of Rte. 128
- Crew will be working in the northbound lane of Rte. 127 in a southernly direction.
- TBD: Ledge removal as needed.
Pavement Crew:
- Temporary pavement of gravel patches on Rte. 127 this week.
- First week of June: trench paving will begin.

Addressing Your Concerns:

Paving

The majority of the paving on this project remains temporary. Temporary sections will be milled to join the new and existing pavement and repaved as the project nears completion to ensure a smooth and even finished surface.

Paving Status

Accelerated Progress During Shutdown

During the recent road shutdown, the contractor made significant progress, leaving longer sections unpaved to efficiently install as much infrastructure as possible in a short window of time. Temporarily, this resulted in longer stretches of uneven pavement.

Moving forward, the contractor will narrow these unpaved areas by laying pavement more frequently in shorter sections, reducing traffic disruption and ensuring a smoother driving experience.

Understanding the Current Height Discrepancy

The temporary height discrepancy between the new and old pavement is due to the binder course, an intermediate asphalt layer not at its final height. The binder layer is currently in a waiting period.

Reasons for the Waiting Period

Settlement and Compaction:
- After the binder course is applied, there is a period where the material settles and compacts under the weight of traffic. This helps ensure a stable base for the final surface layer.
Weather Considerations:
- Paving schedules are often influenced by weather conditions. Ideal weather conditions are necessary to ensure the final pavement layer adheres properly and cures correctly.
Utility Adjustments:
- The waiting period allows for any necessary adjustments to underlying utilities to be made before the final surface is applied, reducing the need for future disruptions.
Quality Assurance:
- This period provides time to inspect and address any issues with the binder layer, ensuring that any imperfections are corrected before the final layer is applied.

Temporary Gravel Sections

The gravel sections are temporary and will be paved over in the final phase. These are areas where the existing paving was disturbed during the course of construction, but the installation work is not yet completed. The contractor is responsible for maintaining the surfaces to a reasonable standard in the interim.

Work Zones

To expedite the project timeline and manage potential delays effectively, the contractor is implementing alternating work zones with multiple crews. This strategy ensures continuous progress, even during typical delays like inclement weather or site issues. This approach optimizes resources, accelerates project completion, and minimizes disruptions to the public. Multiple crews will work on competing priorities and tasks within continuously shifting work zones. For everyone’s safety, please reduce speed and remain alert.

Traffic Control

We sincerely appreciate your patience and cooperation during the implementation of alternating traffic controls. Your understanding is invaluable as we work to ensure the well-being of all commuters and workers involved in the project. Thank you for your continued support.

Thank You for Your Patience

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this critical infrastructure upgrade. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us.

Bath Water District