First Phase of 175A Construction Near Completion

Construction of 175A continues, in an effort to revamp the bridge as well as the downtown Plymouth area. According to Contract Administrator, Steven Glines, P.E. one phase of the project is near completion. Recently roads have been closed to dig trenches in order to insert sheets of metal under ground. The sheets of metal will serve as part of a petroleum recovery system, which will pull gasoline leaked from abandoned storage tanks in the downtown area. The system would pump out any of the leaked gasoline upon completion of the entire bridge project. An additional project includes the patching of Bridge Street and the three way intersection. Work on moving power and communication lines into underground conduits has been completed.Throughout the month of October demolition projects are the main focus. Buildings such as the old Overflow Tavern and a private residence on North River Road are among some of the buildings scheduled for the demolitions.Most demolition projects, with the exception of one, will have no affect on PSU students or regular traffic patterns. According to Glines, the building on the corner of High Street and Main Street, across from the Draper and Maynard building could cause the “re-routing of pedestrians” for those walking from High street to the downtown area or across the bridge.It will not be until the spring of 2005 when work will begin on the bridge itself. The final product will comprise of a bridge which accommodates two lanes of traffic for automobiles, and two lanes on either side of the bridge for pedestrians. In the winter one pedestrian way will be used specifically for snowmobiles, and a new roundabout will be put in place of the three way stop to better manage traffic. Contractors will bid on the bridge project in April of next year, and the project will subsequently go to the lowest bidder. During construction, a temporary bridge, known as a Bailey bridge will be erected. According to Glines, the number one priority will become lighting for the safety of pedestrians crossing the Bailey bridge. The entire project is expected to be complete in early 2007.