Hartford Avenue sewer project begins

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Work crews began the Narragansett Bay Commission’s sewer extension project on Monday. According to the Narragansett Bay Commission, traffic on Hartford Avenue will experience some delays, but the road will not be closed during construction.

(Sun Rise photos by Tim Forsberg)

Johnston Sun Rise · Thursday, August 24, 2017 4:00 pm

By Tim Forsberg

Construction work began this week for a major sewer and water line extension project on Hartford Avenue.

“Johnston, for the next several months, may wish that we didn’t exist, but after that Johnston is going to have a really good underground,” said Jamie Samons, public affairs manager with the Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC).

The NBC project will add nearly 5,400 linear feet of sewer lines under the righthand lane of Hartford Avenue westbound. Construction began on Monday just past the off ramp for Route 295 South. The righthand lane is closed for several hundred feet to accommodate construction crews.

D’Ambra Construction will facilitate the $1.65 million project. In July, the Town Council approved an ordinance to borrow up to $2,435,000 for the installation of new water lines and upgraded meters, along with athletic facility improvements. Construction of the sewer lines is expected to be complete by the end of this year.

Water line work is expected to begin next year, and once complete the Department of Transportation will resurface the entire project area as part of a repaving project beginning in Scituate at Danielson Pike and heading east to the intersection of 295 southbound. According to town officials, the project will open over 150 acres for businesses that would depend upon sewer and water improvements.

“This project, because Hartford Avenue is such a wider street and a different type of road than Greenville Avenue, we anticipate that traffic won’t flow as easily as it does normally, but there’s still plenty of room to have a good traffic flow,” said Samons.

Work times are 6 a.m. until 3 p.m.; however, crews are authorized to work later should the situation arise. No detours are expected during the construction. If everything goes according to plan, by next November all work, including the repaving of Hartford Avenue, will be completed.

As far as I know, there hasn’t been any hiccups yet,” said Deputy Chief Joseph Razza of the Johnston Police Department of the change in traffic pattern. “I haven’t gotten any calls yet about any issues.

Those wishing for more information or daily updates on the project, may visit the NBC’s Facebook page at www.facebook.

com/narrabay.