Front Street upgrade to start in June

By Pamela matexas

05/29/2009- The Republican

CHICOPEE - A $4.7 million project to reconstruct Center Street from Hampden Street to the Springfield city line is expected to commence next month.

State Rep. Joseph F. Wagner, D-Chicopee, said on Thursday that the state awarded the contract to the low bidder, F&J Inc. of Ludlow, which bid $4.7 million.

"A notice to proceed is pending, and I have been in contact with Mass Highway and that notice is expected the second week in June," said Wagner.

This season, a separate project - the $8.4 million Front Street reconstruction - got under way, covering 1.9 miles from Depot to Grove streets, as well as the redesign of the Front and Grape street intersection.

Front Street is being worked on in 1,000-foot sections starting at Depot Street, and Gagliarducci Co. crews are in the vicinity of the City Hall Annex this week. The project features sidewalk, pavement, curb, and wheelchair-ramp reconstruction.

City Engineer Steven J. Frederick said residents are able to view updates of the project on the city's Web site at www.chicopeema.gov, as well as other road projects.

Center Street is a full-depth reconstruction from Hampden Street to the Springfield city line, along with the reconstruction and upgrading of the Hampden and Center streets intersection.

In a letter to F&J Inc., the state Highway Department asked it to furnish bonds and a certificate of insurance. Also required was proof of worker's compensation and liability insurance.

"As soon as the notice to proceed is given, I would anticipate work beginning immediately on Center Street," said Wagner. "There has been a slight delay in the process because the state has been pushing the deadline for federally-funded projects with stimulus money."

Last December, Wagner, who chairs the House Joint Committee on Transportation, said the Davitt Bridge linking Chicopee Center to Granby Road and Meadow Streets, and constructed in 1931, is slated for total reconstruction.

This reconstruction is part of a $3 billion effort by the administration of Gov. Deval L. Patrick to overhaul structurally deficient bridges.

While it is estimated to cost $7 million and scheduled to be advertised in 2010, Wagner said, "I have made a conscious decision" to hold off on the bridge project pending the completion of the other road projects.

"The last thing we want to do is create a bottleneck," he said. "When the Deady Bridge was under construction, there was a bottleneck on Granby Road. We want to avoid these."