FITCHBURG — A recent public forum drew many community members who were interested in learning about infrastructure updates and projects the city is working on.
According to Mayor Sam Squailia, the well-attended Main Street construction info session, held on Feb. 27 at the Legislative Building, highlighted a series of major infrastructure improvements to water, sewer, and roads throughout the downtown area.
The projects, led by city engineers and involving multiple state agencies and city departments, will enhance public utilities, modernize aging infrastructure, and improve overall quality of life for residents and businesses.
Squailia shared details about current and upcoming projects — “a huge initiative with many working parts” — that cover several essential areas including:
• Water system upgrades to enhance water quality, increase fire flow, and replace aging infrastructure; sewer and drain projects in compliance with state and federal regulations to separate combined sewer systems and reduce flooding risks;
• Gas-line improvements that include minor service-connection upgrades led by Unitil in the downtown area;
• The replacement of the Water and River street bridges, overseen by MassDOT, along with new rail trail installations; and Main Street sidewalk restoration and repaving efforts that will enhance pedestrian safety and improve downtown accessibility.
The total approximate cost for the projects is in the neighborhood of $80,847,000, which does not include engineering and construction administration costs for two of the projects and is subject to change as construction progresses due to unforeseen conditions, change orders, etc. The projects are being funded through a variety of sources including low-interest loans with principal forgiveness through the MassDEP State Revolving Fund and American Rescue Plan Act funds.
There are several goals and benefits to the projects, improvements that aim to strengthen water infrastructure and improve maintenance capabilities, reduce flooding risks and improve water quality, reduce flooding risks and improve water quality, modernize sewer systems and meet environmental regulations, and enhance roadways, sidewalks, and pedestrian access.
“These infrastructure projects are an investment in the future of Fitchburg,” Squailia said. “Our water, sewer, and drainage systems are aged out, and much of this work is federally mandated to prevent environmental damage with our sewer separation project and reduce our risk of flooding and property damage. We cannot afford to kick the can down the road any longer. Delaying these improvements will only lead to bigger, more expensive problems that will be even harder to solve.”
Squailia expressed that while she understands “construction can be frustrating, and at times it may feel like there is no visible progress as it is all under our feet, the investment is real and critical.”
“We must prioritize this infrastructure now or we will face emergency repairs, road failures, and serious public safety risks in the future,” she said. “These projects will improve water quality, enhance fire protection, and ensure our infrastructure meets modern standards. And bonus, we’ll get new roads, pedestrian accessibility, and a brighter safer Main Street after we are done.”
In other city maintenance news, the city Streets Division ran a hot mix crew daily this past week to address the numerous potholes in the city, a common occurrence throughout New England due to the freeze-thaw cycle where water seeps into road cracks, freezes and expands, and then thaws, weakening the pavement and leading to potholes.
“This time of year, we tend to see temperature fluctuations that produce extreme freeze-thaw cycles,” Squailia said. “This causes potholes to form and leads to heavy demand for pothole repairs. When this happens, we will run a second crew that will use cold patch only. Unfortunately, we do not have a second hot mix truck, which would allow the second crew to also run hot mix.
She reported that when they run the hot crew mix, one of the staff members comes in early before the start of the 7 a.m. shift to pick up hot mix from a plant in Dracut.
“The hot mix truck has a special body that keeps the mix warm in transit and can hold approximately seven tons,” Squailia said. “Once it arrives back in Fitchburg, the crew works through its list of streets and patches potholes until the mix is gone. Occasionally the hot mix crew will need to assist other crews with paving catch basins or manhole repairs, etc. After the mix is gone, either the driver will go get another load, if time allows, or the crew will switch to cold patch for the remainder of the shift.”
She went on to say they are actively looking for a second hot mix truck to haul the second hot box for asphalt that they already have.
“We had to retire the swap loader truck that hauled it previously due to regularly needing $20,000 plus in repairs that no longer made it financially viable to use,” Squailia said. “We are actively looking for a replacement, so we need money for that and to find a decent deal.”
People are encouraged to report issues such as potholes, preferably with pictures and specific addresses, through seeclickfix.com/fitchburg_2 so the hardworking streets crew can add them to their list.
To keep residents informed, the City of Fitchburg will provide weekly email updates detailing work locations, detours, and schedules. Additionally, residents and businesses can opt-in for project notifications through the city’s website (link to be announced). For questions or concerns, contact the Engineering Project Team at FitchburgMAWMIP@wseinc.com or call 781-909-4028.