Major Downtown Intersection Reconstruction Begins August 1
Photo: amherstma.gov
Source: amherstma.gov
Starting August 1, the Town of Amherst is embarking on a major road reconstruction of the downtown intersection – Main Street, Amity Street, North Pleasant Street, and South Pleasant Street. This much needed upgrade will enhance infrastructure and improve accessibility. This is part of a larger plan to improve the conditions in downtown Amherst, building off of the newly renovated North Common.
The intersection will remain open to traffic, but delays should be expected.
Construction Schedule
This construction project is expected to last at least 6-8 weeks and work will occur Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Below is the construction schedule for the first couple of weeks. Additional announcements will be released as the schedule is finalized. All work is weather dependent; severe weather will delay the work schedule by a day, or new announcements will be posted.
- Friday, 8/1 – Tuesday, 8/5: Crews will begin adjusting manholes and catch basins and then start the removal of the concrete, brick and granite crosswalks at the intersections.
- Wednesday, 8/6 – Friday 8/8: Crews will be reclaiming the road, taking it down to a gravel base, and regrade the intersection. Roadway sub-grades will be lowered nearly 12 inches prior to the placement of the first layer of asphalt. Pedestrians, bikers, and motorists will need to use caution when traveling through the area.
- Thursday, 8/14: Crews will place the first coat of asphalt. Once this step is complete additional work on crosswalk ramps and curbing will be scheduled.
Traffic, Parking, and Road Closures
The intersection will remain open to traffic, but delays should be expected. Police officers will be on scene to help direct traffic. Follow all directions given by detail officers and on-site engineers during construction.
- On-street parking is prohibited on the following streets during construction operations. Vehicles will be towed.
- No parking on Main Street between Town Hall and Amity Street.
- No parking on South Pleasant Street between Main Street and Spring Street.
- Boltwood Avenue will be closed between Main Street and the Town Hall exit.
- Expect traffic delays and seek alternate routes.
- Slow down in work zones.
For questions or additional information concerning this project, contact the Amherst Department of Public Works at 413-259-3050 or at publicworks@amherstma.gov
How on earth does paving this intersection of Amity Street make any sense in the face of the enormous demolition project soon to begin at Jones Library? There will be huge, heavy trucks hauling tons of brick and stone debris to landfills in the coming weeks. Whose brilliant idea was it to repave this intersection before the demolition and rebuilding of Jones Library is complete?
I don’t understand why my tax money (whatever its source) is being used to reconstruct a perfectly decent road surface when so many neighborhood streets are impassable! It seems to me that the downtown streets were reconfigured and resurfaced within the last 8 years—which I can document.
If they could only put that money to fixing the North Hallock/North Prospect stretch!
What that intersection needs is long living trees that grow large such as oaks and sycamores, or native maples like sugar maples or silver maples.
What’s going to happen when the college students come back into town? Moving days are a fiasco to begin with but now with traffic being slowed down due to construction is only to get worse.