ORANGE — The warrant for a special town meeting this Saturday contains 10 articles pertaining to land needed to replace the three-span bridge carrying Holtshire Road over the Millers River.
Adoption of Articles 4 through 13 will authorize the Orange Selectboard to try to acquire easements by purchase, gift, eminent domain or other methods. Kathy Reinig, Selectboard chairwoman, said adoption of each article would grant permission to the board to negotiate the easements, with Town Administrator Diana M. Schindler acting on its behalf.
Schindler said the $5,149,871 project is being funded through the Franklin Transportation Improvement Program, a combination of state and federal funds that come to the region annually. She said
Five easements would be temporary and five would be permanent. The bridge is closed to vehicular traffic and the established detour will be maintained during the proposed construction.
Reinig said the owners of the land subject to easements are agreeable to the project. Public Works Superintendent Joshua Knechtel said he expects construction to begin in the spring.
“They’re very excited about having this done,” Reining said, adding that she does not expect much controversy over the bridge-related articles.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s website, the three-span bridge will consist of new steel beams supporting a concrete deck with asphalt pavement and will provide a 10-foot lane and a 2-foot shoulder in each direction and a single 5-foot-6-inch sidewalk on the west side.
Reinig explained the temporary easements are for land needed to store equipment and vehicles during construction. The road leading up to the bridge will be made smoother and safer and a sidewalk will be installed with the help of the permanent easements, she said.
Knechtel said MassDOT closed the bridge a couple of years ago after deeming it unsafe. He said the town could have repaired it, but it was due for replacement in 2017.
Article 16 asks if residents will vote to designate roughly $13,000 to refurbish the Orange Police Department. Chief Craig Lundgren said the money is left over from the $151,235 approved at the annual town meeting in June 2014 to finance roof replacement, attic repairs, and replacement of the heating and air conditioning system at the station. Lundgren the remaining balance will be used for paint jobs, new blinds and curtains, and perhaps a work station in the room where officers draft their reports.
Article 1 asks if voters will borrow and appropriate $175,000 to fund required upgrades to a well in the town water department’s chemical treatment system. Articles 1 and 16 must pass by a two-thirds majority.
You can reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com
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