The tranquility of South Freeport will be interrupted later this month when the Freeport Public Works Department begins work on a drainage project.
The Town Council approved the $135,000 job this past spring as part of its capital budget. A public meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at the Town Hall. Earl Gibson, public works superintendent, and Al Presgraves, the town engineer, will be present to answer questions.
Gibson said that the meeting is not a public hearing.
“It’s more on public information,” he said. “It’s already approved by the Town Council. Normally before we go to an area on a large construction project, we like to inform the public.”
Gibson said that the South Freeport drainage project will entail two phases – the rebuilding of a section of Park Street and replacement of drainage pipes and catch basins on Park Street, Middle Street and South Main Street.
Both projects will necessitate one-way traffic, Gibson said. Each job can be expected to take up at least two weeks, he said.
A 350-foot section of Park Street needs to be rebuilt, Gibson said.
“That is in very bad shape,” he said. “I anticipate having crews in South Freeport on the 24th to start on that. We’ll do what we call a box cut of that section of road, bring new material, rebuild the road and pave. Depending on the crew available, when that crew’s done with the box cut they’ll move right into moving the catch basins on Park Street.”
Gibson said that a 550-foot stretch of drainage pipe needs replacement on Park Street, 600 feet on Middle Street and five catch basins on South Main Street.
“It’s a decent-sized project,” Gibson said. “If you don’t do it, you get road failure and storm pipes start collapsing on themselves, you get sinkholes and potholes. Most of this stuff is on the edge of the right of way, so you’re going to see it.”
Gibson said that all this work is in preparation for an overlay of the entire area in 2017.
The South Freeport job is part of a $2.5 million capital budget that includes $750,000 for a new fire truck, $196,000 for a new ambulance and $430,000 for reconstruction of Litchfield Road.
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