Metacom Avenue work ends Monday

It took drivers on Metacom Avenue more than 10 minutes to go from Bayview Avenue to Highview Drive Monday afternoon, a distance of less than a quarter-mile. Fortunately, they should have to suffer in such traffic any more.

Water Authority work on Metacom Avenue has come to a close and should be wrapping up Monday evening, news that couldn’t come soon enough for construction-weary drivers, especially those complaining of tire damage Monday.

The Bristol County Water Authority milled the road down over the weekend and Monday morning in anticipation of Monday afternoon’s final paving on the months-long project to improve water flow to the southern end of town. The milling left some drivers calling the BWCA, Town Administrator’s office and even the Bristol Phoenix to complain of tire damage after dropping into some of the deep holes workers made in the road. Much of the construction zone lacked signage to warn drivers often traveling upwards of 45 mph that they were about to drop into a hole about three inches deep.

“We did get a couple of calls, and one claim for tire damage,” BCWA Director Pamela Marchand said Monday afternoon. “The contractor was supposed to get signs out there.”

The Town Administrator’s office also confirmed receiving calls from frustrated drivers Monday morning. However, being a state road and a county water authority job, town officials were not directly involved in the project.

Aside from the signage mishap, Ms. Marchand said she is happy to report the project that began in July is complete and the final paving was expected to be completed Monday afternoon. The $1.8 million project called for the full replacement of an 8-inch main with a 12-inch pipe along Metacom Avenue from Bay View Avenue to Robin Drive. Workers also replaced pipes running to water storage tanks along Hope Street, and another pipe at the intersection of Metacom Avenue and Tupelo Street, ahead of intersection improvements the state is planning in the spring. The project was completed on budget, Ms. Marchand said.

“We can get a lot more flow through those pipes now,” Ms. Marchand said. “People in the area — and the fire department — will be happy. The project is completely done — I know a lot of people will be happy.”