Road repair list awaits selectmen go-ahead

Town may benefit from lower asphalt prices

By Bruce Burdett
Posted 6/10/16

Eighteen Westport roads have made this year’s list for repairs and repaving and the work will begin as soon as the Board of Selectmen give approval.

That action was put on hold recently due to …

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Road repair list awaits selectmen go-ahead

Town may benefit from lower asphalt prices

Posted

Eighteen Westport roads have made this year’s list for repairs and repaving and the work will begin as soon as the Board of Selectmen give approval.

That action was put on hold recently due to discussion on whether the town should first obtain bids from several engineering firms.

Highway Department Surveyor Chris Gonsalves said they expected to hire Tibbetts Engineering as usual, a company that “has done a good job for us.” Options are limited in part by the fact that firms must be state Department of Transportation certified, he said.

Some of the town’s bigger roads were selected for this year’s work, along with some small ones “that most people may never have driven over but that are getting pretty bad,” Mr. Gonsalves said.

This year’s list is longer than some years.

“Prices are good right now so we can get more done for our money — I’m hoping to get going soon to take advantage of that.” Oil prices have been lower which means that asphalt prices are down as well.

Mr. Gonsalves said he keeps an ongoing list of candidates for roadwork, derived by touring the town, reports from his Highway Department crews and from information sent them by townspeople which they check out.

On this year’s list are:

• Adamsville Road: Last year the town did work on a section near the post office. This year the plan is to continue that on toward Sodom Road.

• Brian Street: A small dead end road will get new pavement and may need a thorough grinding down.

• Briggs Road: Repaving was done here last year and the plan is to continue that east 600 to 700 feet to the area of Heritage Drive.

• Charlotte White Road: Drainage work with new culverts has been going on and the road is “in real need of new overlay” — the whole road from Main Road to Sodom Road.

• Dogwood Lane: Located off Highland, it needs repairs — in places frost is pushing rocks up from below.

• Drift Road: Resurfacing needed in places.

• Fernmarsh Lane: A Charlotte White Road side street, it needs resurfacing.

• Forge Road (north): This road is deteriorating and will be resurfaced up near the Forge Pond area.

• Forysthia Lane: South of Route 6, this small road needs resurfacing.

• Gifford Road: Resurfacing planned in the Macomber School area.

• Heritage Drive: Off Briggs Road (also on the list), resurfacing planned.

• Milk Avenue: Small dead-ender off Route 6, needs fresh overlay.

• Oakland Street: Same as above.

• Old Bedford Road: In vicinity of Whites of Westport and Hampton Inn, needs resurfacing and handicap access curb work.

• Register Avenue: Small dead end off Sanford Road needs new asphalt.

• Russell Avenue: Small dead end off Route 6 needs new asphalt.

• Union/Grove Street: Same as above.

• Wind Rush Lane: East of Drift Road, needs fresh overlay.

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.