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FRAMINGHAM – The MassDOT Union Avenue road construction project restarts this week.

The $11.3 million project is expected to be completed in the Spring of 2024.

The original work start date was November 15, 2021 and the bid amount was $11.3 million. 

The project involves improvements to Union Avenue from Proctor Street to Main Street, with limited work on intersecting local roadways. 

Highlights of the project will full pavement and sidewalk reconstruction, traffic signal improvements, streetscape beautification, and bicycle accommodations. 

A new traffic signal will be installed at Mt. Wayte Avenue.

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And new traffic signals will be constructed at Union Avenue and Lincoln Street as well as Union Avenue at Walnut Street. 

Streetscape and ornamental lighting improvements will be constructed from the southerly beginning of the project up to the intersection with Lincoln Street. 

The project also includes the rehabilitation of the bridge on Union Ave over the Sudbury River.

Since the project began a new rotary has been installed near Maple Street and work was completed from the rotary to the bridge.

Also completed was “geometric reconfiguration of the rotary with a stamped concrete truck apron; new concrete sidewalks; new drainage structures; and new pavement,” said the MassDOT spokesperson.

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Also completed was “Phase I bridge construction…. This operation consisted of the removal of existing asphalt on the bridge deck, demolition of the backwall, wingwall, and approach slabs, pouring new concrete to replace the backwall, wingwall, and approach slabs, repairs to the AASHTO girder beam ends, full depth bridge deck repairs, and temporary HMA to open the bridge for the winter.”

But there is still a lot to complete with the project, said MassDOT (Massachusetts Department of Transportation).

“Physical work will resume on March 16, 2023 as part of Phase II Construction of Bridge, where we will begin installation of guardrail, and temporary HMA sidewalks,” said MassDOT.

“The southbound bridge detour will be in effect beginning March 21, 2023,” said MassDOT.

“Bridge work is anticipated to continue for several months into the summer. During this time, Union Avenue Southbound traffic will be detoured to Franklin Street, to Mt. Wayte Avenue and Melrose Street, and back onto Union Avenue,” said the MassDOT spokesperson.

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“The remaining roadway work is currently scheduled to begin the last week of March 2023. Once this operation is complete, they will continue with full depth roadway excavation which consists of three remaining segments (Nelson St. to Beech St., Beech St. to Proctor St., and from Bridge No. F-07-004 to Mt. Wayte Ave.). This work will consist of installing drainage structures and pipe, excavating existing sidewalks, removing, and resetting curb, pouring permanent sidewalks, full-depth excavation in the road, and paving a base/binder course,” explained the MassDOT spokesperson.

“Once all three segments are completed, the final pavement top course will be completed the length of the project and install permanent pavement markings and signs,” said MassDOT.

MassDOT anticipates the final paving to occur near the end of the 2023 construction season.

The contract completion date for the project is Spring 2024, said MassDOT.

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By editor

Susan Petroni is the former editor for SOURCE. She is the founder of the former news site, which as of May 1, 2023, is now a self-publishing community bulletin board. The website no longer has a journalist but a webmaster.