Repairs to Shelburne’s Old Greenfield Road planned in August
Published: 07-10-2024 1:20 PM
Modified: 07-10-2024 3:12 PM |
SHELBURNE — Road resurfacing and culvert replacement work on Old Greenfield Road off of Route 2 is expected to start in August, after construction companies submit their bids to secure a contract for the project.
The project, estimated to cost $715,965, is being paid for with a MassWorks grant. The town line between Greenfield and Shelburne lands on the road, meaning repairs for this project will center on the roughly 1.5-mile section of Old Greenfield Road that is located within Shelburne.
According to Shelburne Highway Superintendent Mark Shippee, who is retiring in three weeks and will be replaced by Heath Highway Superintendent Jeffrey Johnston, Greenfield is repairing its portion of the road, too.
The culvert being replaced is 60 feet long and 15 inches in diameter. It requires replacement due to poor water flow that is damaging the asphalt and ledges around the road.
“The biggest problem with any road is having water underneath it,” Shippee said, referencing the damage. “There are plenty of areas on this road where the water is under the edge of the road and this is what happens when you don’t get rid of water.”
Damage to Old Greenfield Road has been an issue for a while, according to Shippee, who said the road is often a detour route when necessary.
“When things go bad on Route 2 between here and Greenfield, they detour traffic this way,” he said.
“That’s when the safety aspects come in,” said Andrea Woods, former chief procurement officer with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) who is handling the bidding process. “Emergency vehicles will have to use the road and it has to be wide enough for them.”
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A mandatory pre-bid meeting for companies that may be interested in contracting with Shelburne to do the project was held on Tuesday, where Shippee and Woods explained some of the issues on the road and answered several questions from companies.
Bids must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Monday, July 29, with a contract being offered on Aug. 12. Construction is expected to begin in August and finish before Dec. 30.
“It’s a very windy road and it goes around a lot of ledges,” Shippee said. “Because it’s such a windy road, we want to have it as nice as we can to handle the traffic.”