Public Works

Engineering Division

James Shuris, P.E.
Town Engineer

The Concord Public Works Engineering Division is responsible for the planning, design, engineering and construction of Town roads, sidewalks, drainage, bridges and stormwater infrastructure assets. The Division provides a wide range of professional engineering and construction management services for Concord Public Works (Administration, Water, Sewer and Highway/Grounds/Cemetery) and other Town departments and boards.

The Division provides Geographic Information System (gis) services and maintains Town-wide inventories, database, mapping and document control of Concord's public right-of-ways, easements, infrastructure assets and natural resources.

Roads and Sidewalks Program

There are approximately one hundred and seven miles of public roads, classified as arterial roads, collector roads and local streets. Arterial roads provide movement between collector roads, other arterial roads and major highways and make-up approximately 34% of Concord's public roads. Collector roads, used primarily to connect local streets to other collector and arterial roads, make-up approximately 7% of Concord's public roads, and the remaining 59% of public roads consist of local streets. In addition, Concord has 55 miles of public sidewalks.

Concord's pavement management strategy and 20-year Roads and Sidewalks Program Plan emphasizes adequate investment in road and sidewalk/handicap ramp rehabilitation combined with preventive and routine maintenance. This program is based on an annual condition survey of 25% of roads and the evaluation of contiguous sidewalks. The program utilizes pavement management software, in-house engineering/operations knowledge and Town-wide utility planning.

A key element used to enhance road pavement maintenance is the extensive use of crack sealing. The use of this material enables cpw to maintain the integrity of existing road structures while improving selected roads by means of reconstruction, cold plane/overlay, and chip sealing.

6.8 Miles of Roads Improved

Roads Program improvements completed in 2006 included all or portions of Ash Street, Bedford Street, Birch Drive, Dalton Road, Meriam Road, Monsen Road, Old Bedford Road, Ridgeway Road, and Virginia Road as part of the East Concord Phase I Sewer project ; the Conantum neighborhood including East Circle, Heath's Bridge Road, Holden Lane, Holdenwood Road, and West Circle; also Commerford Road; Cottage Lane; and portions of Hillside Avenue; Keyes Road, Laws Brook Road; Martin Road; Westford Road; and Wright Road. As part of the 2006 Roads Program traffic calming improvements were constructed at the intersections of Old Bedford Road and Bedford Street, Old Bedford Road and Virginia Road, and Thoreau Street at Walden Street. Additionally, the abandoned railroad tracks that crossed Commonwealth Avenue near Warner's Pond were removed.

2.9 Miles of Sidewalks Improved

Sidewalks Program improvements performed by cpw employees or contractors included: Bedford Street from Birch Drive to Old Bedford Road, Brown Street from MainStreet to Prairie Street, Central Street from Chase Road to West Street, Dalton Road, Laws Brook Road from Wright Road to Conant Street, Main Street from Keyes Road to 150-feet West of Keyes Road, Meriam Road, Monsen Road from Bedford Street to 300-feet South of Bedford Street, Old Bedford Road from 1,200-feet South of Meriam Road to the Bedford Town Line, Pine Street from Central Street to Riverside Avenue (stone dust to hot mix asphalt), and Virginia Road from Old Bedford Road to 1,250-feet East of Old Bedford Road. Additionally, sidewalk extensions were constructed in the Keyes Road Municipal Parking Lot. Small sidewalk extensions were installed on Old Bedford Road. 150-feet of new hot mix asphalt sidewalks were installed from Bronson Way to the existing sidewalk near the Old Bedford Road-Bedford Street intersection, and 200-feet of hot mix asphalt sidewalks were installed from Dalton Road to Virginia Road, on Old Bedford Road.

Roads and Sidewalks in Sound Condition

The accompanying tables show that the condition of Town roads and sidewalks remains within the target range of 80-85 pci (Pavement Condition Index). Town sidewalks have also reached the condition target range and are safer to use. The Town's investment in its road and sidewalk assets has resulted in cost effectively protecting and improving Concord's public way infrastructure for pedestrians and drivers while avoiding a multi-million dollar backlog to be paid by future Concordians.

Other Roads & Sidewalks Projects

cpw Engineering managed all consulting engineering services for all aspects of the design, engineering and permitting for the Main Street "Footprint Roads" Project consisting of the reconstruction and improvements to a $1.2M - 1.2 mile section of Main Street in West Concord from Water Street to the Acton town line. 25% Design Plans are currently under MassHighway review and funding for this project is currently on the FY08 tip.

Stormwater/Drainage

Concord is a "rivers community" with a stormwater/drainage infrastructure consisting of 124 culverts, 183 drainage outfalls, 2,522 catch basins; 751 manholes; and 50+/- miles of drain lines. cpw plans, coordinates and performs drainage improvements in conjunction with the Roads and Sidewalks Program to minimize disruptions and to eliminate expensive emergency repairs. Drainage maintenance activities are coordinated with the Division of Natural Resources and are performed under the general maintenance permit issued by the Natural Resources Commission.

In the past, cpw Engineering staff developed a Drainage System Inventory and integrated the data into the Town's Geographical Information System (gis). This work provided the basis for developing a 20-year Stormwater/Drainage Management Plan. The Plan's goal is to improve, protect and maintain Concord's public stormwater/drainage infrastructure through scheduled maintenance and planned replacements and enhancements. The Plan is also a key component of the Town's National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (npdes) Phase II General Permit.

Structural steel beam welding at Heath's Bridge

$155,000 was appropriated in 2006 in the second year of a multi-year effort to improve the condition of the Town's stormwater system. This funding level is a reflection of both a backlog of deferred repairs and the need for replacement of several larger culverts. There are approximately 17 such culverts in Concord.

Drainage improvement projects included those undertaken in concert with the 2006 Roads Program. Major drainage upgrades were completed in the East Concord Phase I Sewer Project areas, and Commerford Road, Main Street, Keyes Road and Cottage Lane.

Other Stormwater/Drainage Projects

cpw Engineering facilitated public hearings and managed all consulting engineering services for all aspects of the design, engineering and permitting for the Warner's Pond Dam and Mill Dam Culvert Rehabilitation Projects. The construction of these projects is tentatively scheduled for next year.

Bridges

Engineering staff continued to monitor the wearing conditions and structural integrity of the five Town-owned bridges -Flint's Bridge, Heath's Bridge, Nashawtuc Bridge, Pail Factory Bridge and the Pine Street Bridge. Staff coordinated inspections/repairs/construction planning with the Massachusetts Highway Department (mhd). In an effort to expedite the rehabilitation of several of these bridges, staff continued its advocacy efforts with both mhd District 4 and State bridge officials.

• Flint's Bridge - MassHighway completed the review of the 100% bridge plans and continues to coordinate environmental permitting issues necessary to allow this project to be advertised for construction. Funding for this project remains on the FY06 Transportation Improvement Plan (tip) and is tentatively scheduled to be advertised for construction next year.

• Heath's Bridge -MassHighway installed a temporary "one-lane" alternating traffic control system to provide for safe vehicular travel to allow work to commence. By year end, the existing western portion of the bridge was demolished and new structural steel, corrugated metal decking, shear studs, reinforcing steel and bulkheads were completed in preparation for the placement of concrete decking.

• Pine Street Bridge - The project was advertised for construction and bids will be accepted in March 2007. However, MassHighway continues to coordinate outstanding environmental permitting issues as a prerequisite for the bid opening date. Funding for this project remains on the FY 2006 Transportation Improvement Plan (tip).

• Nashawtuc Bridge - Professional engineering services were solicited and a letter report was provided to investigate the movement along the parapet walls and to provide recommendations for any proposed repairs including cost estimates and schedules.

Geographic Information System (gis)

Concord's gis continues to make progress as a "pace setter" for web-based gis communities. The integration of the Roads, Sidewalks, Stormwater/Drainage, Water and Sewer Programs via gis continues to pay dividends. Phase 2 of the gis Upgrade Project included a gis needs assessment, gis data updates for tax maps, ArcView gis software upgrades and the linkage of the gis system capabilities with the Roads, Sidewalk, and Drainage/Stormwater Programs. A Massport grant funded an intern to assist in scanning all plan-file documents into digital-format.

Concord's gis continues to improve and receive positive feedback. It remains as a model for other communities to emulate. This year gis underwent major changes and upgrades. The Town hired a new consultant to assist in the development of a new gis Strategic Plan and update the Town's Webgis internet sites and other gis applications for Town staff use.

Technical Support

Engineering staff provides engineering and construction management support services for cpw and various Town departments, boards and commissions.

The Town Engineer continued to represent and assist the Town as a participant on the Route 2 Corridor Advisory Committee to address several projects:

• Crosby's Corner - MassHighway revised the completion date of 75% Design Plans from 2006 to spring 2007 and the construction schedule was revised from FY07 tip to FY09 tip.

• Route 2/Concord Rotary - Alternatives #3, #5 and #7 remain as potential scenarios and MassHighway has selected Earth Tech, Inc. to provide eir/ea - 25% design engineering services. A contract for this segment of work will be awarded by spring 2007 and the work will take approximately 2-1/2 years to complete. The schedule for the entire project remains between 2012 and 2014.

Train Horn Whistles - Concord hasn't heard train whistles for the most part going back to the 1950's. To keep Concord quiet, cpw Engineering managed all the work necessary to comply with the Federal Railroad Administration published "Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings - Final Rule" requiring communities like Concord to upgrade existing "at-grade" railroad crossings and to make them operational 21 days prior to the deadline. All necessary improvements were completed at the Belknap Street and Baker Avenue "at-grade" railroad crossings to comply with this deadline and the train horns remain silent.

Staff

In December, after more than four years of dedicated service to the Engineering Division, Public Works Engineer John Woodsmall left Concord to accept the position of Town Engineer with the Town of Southborough, Massachusetts. We wish John the best of luck!