Mansfield's public works department is continuing a number of road projects, trying to play catch-up with issues that have languished for years.
Phases 2 and 3 of the Route 106 stretch between Hope Street and North Main began this week with the start of the full-depth resurfacing of the road, a process that will be ongoing at night for several days. The road will be closed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until the work is complete.
On or about Sept. 18, the leveling and paving of the first course will be installed, and that work will begin at 8 p.m. and end at 6 a.m.
By about Sept. 26, curbing and new sidewalks will go in, but this time the work will occur in the daylight hours, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The end of the whole process will begin about Oct. 21, when the "wearing course" of pavement will be laid down, again at night. Hours will be 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
In other work, Town Manager Bill Ross reported to selectmen that the replacement of the Oakland Street water line valves was completed in two days, rather than the three the department allowed. The work started last Monday, and water shutoffs were necessary only for Monday and Tuesday.
Ross told selectmen the paving contractor will be out on Oakland on Thursday to put down permanent pavement.
The process did come with a surprise - workers discovered an active 8-inch water line that the department thought had been removed when the new 12-inch line was laid 30 years ago. It is likely there are homes that are serviced off this 8-inch line, so Ross said some research has to be done to determine just where it goes.
The new Albertini Well water treatment plant project off West Street is proceeding, with the clearing of the trees and a good deal of heavy equipment on site. Ross said water valves in that area will be tested between Williams and Plain Street on Wednesday night, Sept. 21, at 9 p.m., in concert with the normal fall flushing program. Azinheira said work is on schedule, and predicted the treatment plant with its sand filter will be complete by May.
And finally, chip sealing was to take place on Morgan Road, Maverick Drive, and Pinto Way beginning on Sept. 16, and the DPW is requesting residents of that area remove all cars from the listed streets by 6 a.m. Sept.16. Work will start at 6 a.m. and end at 6 p.m.
Residents are urged to go easy on the roads for a while after the chip layer is laid down to allow it to settle in, and refrain from sharp turns and jackrabbit starts and stops. The chip sealing process creates a layer that is durable for about 10 years.
Ross reminded residents to shut windows during the work because of the dust, and to be prepared for several weeks of loose rocks at the road edges. The town will sweep the streets regularly until the surface is set.
Notices of all these projects will be on the town web site, and on the local cable television scroll. For questions on the resurfacing projects, residents can call Mark Cook at the Highway Department, at the DPW number, 508 261-7335.
For questions on the Oakland Street work ot the well site, calls can be directed to DPW head Lee Azinheira or to Kurt Gaffney, Water Operations Manager, at the DPW number.