Bridge, Rt. 143 construction going as planned

Despite weather and occasional traffic setbacks, construction on the Community Center Bridge and Route 143 are going well and are on schedule, according to Harry Henderson, Director of Public Works.

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 Bill Labadie of Cold River Bridges in Walpole adjusts safety brackets on beams that will support sewer lines on the Community Center bridge in Springfield Tuesday. Jesse Baker Photo

Bridge, Rt. 143 construction going as planned

By Katelyn  Harding
Twin State Valley Media Network
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 10:36 PM

SPRINGFIELD -- Despite weather and occasional traffic setbacks, construction on the Community Center Bridge and Route 143 are going well and are on schedule, according to Harry Henderson, Director of Public Works.

"We're beginning to remove the deck and we're getting ready to do one of the water line replacements underneath [the bridge]," Henderson said, adding that last week a tractor trailer got stuck in front of the H&R Block store and took out a light pole, "tying things up for an hour or more."

"There's still occasional large tractor trailers that get caught in there. ... I don't think they totally get the picture yet, but it's been better than expected," he said.

Cold River Bridge Co. LLC, out of Walpole, is working on the project, led by Jim Hollar, and are installing 10 new beams and are also putting in a new deck, sidewalks and rails on the 80-year-old bridge.

Henderson said the Route 143 project has about a quarter-mile of grinding left to do.

"They've got base pavement on probably half or more of it, but the weather's been problematic in doing paving," he said. "They would have liked to have been ahead of schedule. Once they complete the entire base pavement and ditching, they'll commence with the completion of guardrail work, then do the final overlay."

Henderson also said at the "beginning end" of the project, at Summer Street, they have not done much construction because they are waiting for the water improvement project to "do crossing cuts."

The construction on Route 143 begins at Summer Street and extends about five miles to Route 5, with a completion date in October, according to Henderson.

"With the way things are going, they hope to be done before that," he said.

The C2 water project has begun and C1 will not begin until after July 4, according to Henderson.

As for the combined sewer overflow project, test pits have been dug, and they're "well on their way."

"Everything seems to be on track so far [despite] mild inconveniences and periodically traffic slow-down," Henderson said.

http://www.eagletimes.com/ET/story/090701-kmh-spfldconstructionupdate