By Martin Luttrell

The Select Board will discuss recommendations on traffic and street closure options relative to the Providence Street culvert replacement project at its meeting tomorrow, March 18.

Options for traffic detours include making Cemetery Street — currently one way — a two-way street during construction or having one lane open on Providence Street during the project. The police and highway departments along with the project design firm, Tighe & Bond Engineering, recommend against both of those options while the fire department expressed concerns.

Town Administrator Jeremy Stull presented a summary of the recommendations in a March 16 memo to the Select Board.

The project will replace an undersized culvert between 106 and 110 Providence Street and restore the capacity of Spring Brook to mitigate local flooding and roadway overtopping, protect public infrastructure, and improve fish and wildlife passage.

Spring Brook is a coldwater fishery which flows into critical natural landscape, core habitat, and priority habitat for rare species. The culvert recently underwent maintenance and emergency repairs when it overtopped and washed out the road several times in the past few years.

Work is slated to begin this summer when school is not in session.

The Select Board meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Town Hall upper meeting room. View the agenda to join virtually via Microsoft Teams.  

(Photo top of story: The Providence Street Culvert as shown in the Providence Street Replacement Project Notice of Intent.)