GREENFIELD — The city will begin a much-needed $3.3 million reconstruction of Wisdom Way next year, three years earlier than planned.
The Franklin County Transportation Planning Organization — a group of local, regional and state stakeholders that meet monthly to direct transportation planning studies and prioritize federal transportation construction funds coming into the county — moved the timeline up through its Transportation Improvement Program.
“We were very fortunate,” commented Department of Public Works Director Marlo Warner. “We had full designs ready to go, when others didn’t, so our project was pushed up three years.”
Work will be done between River Street and the entrance to the Franklin County Fairgrounds, about a half-mile, and will consist of straightening and stabilizing the roadway and adding a bicycle and walking lane. The road will also be pulled away from the crib wall on the right side going up the hill from River Street. Warner said easements need to be obtained.
“There will be a complete reconstruction of drainage as well,” he added.
The city spent $285,000 on engineering and design, and construction will be paid for with state and federal funding — 80 percent federal and 20 percent state. Warner said the project should be ready to go out to bid by fall or winter, and construction, to be overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), should start in mid to late summer of 2021.
The Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG), which has a contract with MassDOT, conducted the regional transportation planning on Greenfield’s behalf, like it does for towns across Franklin County.
“The roadway there is compromised, so everyone agreed the work needs to be done,” FRCOG Transportation and GIS Program Manager Maureen Mullaney said. “There’s a steep embankment there, and they’ll be pulling the road away from it. The decision to choose this project really came down to its design and how quickly the town was able to get the design ready.”
Greenfield finished the design roughly a year ago and was able to forge ahead, she said. Roads that receive this type of funding have to be identified as federal-aid eligible; Wisdom Way is, and each year, Franklin County typically sees about $5 million to $6 million for eligible projects.
Warner said public hearings were held and public comment was considered concerning the design.
“We also talked with the city’s public safety heads,” he said. “We had to look at this from a public safety standpoint. As of right now, we believe Wisdom Way going up the hill will be open to one-way traffic throughout reconstruction so that DPW, fire, police and ambulances can get through. People at the top of the hill will be rerouted to come into town. We’ll be asking that people try to avoid the area so use is limited.”
Warner noted the DPW will also be paving the area from the entrance to the fairgrounds all the way to Munson Street, so that entire area will be redone by 2022 or so.
“This is a dire need,” Warner said. “We’ll be using Chapter 90 road money for the paving, which should start in late August or early September. We’re pretty much done upgrading water and sewer in the area where we’ll be paving. Everything will be like new in that area when all of the work is done.”
Reach Anita Fritz at 413-772-9591 or afritz@recorder.com.