Milford DPW outlines 2025 paving, drainage and sidewalk work; Middle Street to close during repairs

DPW Director Leo Lessard said the town’s 2025 paving program will continue last year’s unfinished work and prioritize drainage repairs that have delayed resurfacing on several streets.

Lessard gave the Economic Development Advisory Council a street-by-street outline and a short-term timetable. “The paving this year is gonna be continuation of last year, roads that we didn't get to finish up on,” Lessard said, and listed planned resurfacing and drainage work for Ash Street, Walker Street, Knight West, Knight East, Rockland Lane, Flag Lane, Heritage Top, Berkeley Top, Terry Top, Deer Lane top and Knight Street West. He said the department plans to “redo all the sidewalk on that one” at Knight Street West and extend the sidewalk toward the Wright Road development.

The presentation included specific pipe and structure work the highway crew expects to complete this year: Milwaukee — about 800 feet of new pipe and nine structures; Ash Street — about 200 feet and three structures; and a package of laterals and catch basins in the Shepherds Park area (approximately 900 feet of trunk line work called out for later phases). Lessard said Mason Road still needs about 400 feet of underdrain and several structures and that Federal Hill has roughly 500 feet of pipe left to replace.

Lessard told the council Middle Street is an early priority because of the downtown “oval” reconstruction scheduled for next year. “Middle Street will be closed, and the public parking area not available during that time frame,” he said, adding the department will try to open the lot at night and will keep access for emergency vehicles.

Council members asked how long Middle Street work would last; Lessard replied, “Between that and the drainage and break and pave, it'll probably be a full five-week job,” and said the DPW will coordinate paving with the state oval contractor so the town can get a single, lower-cost paving pass when the state finishes.

Nut graf: The DPW update gives residents and the advisory council a concrete list of where the town expects to spend its 2025 paving dollars, while highlighting why drainage repairs and coordination with the state oval project change the timing and scope of resurfacing in downtown Milford.

Council discussion: Members pressed Lessard about sidewalks and the town’s road-surface management work. Lessard said the town finished a road-surface management system with the regional planning commission last fall and that a parallel sidewalk review is underway: “They're gonna be done that by June or July,” he said, adding that most existing sidewalks are not ADA-compliant and will require substantial investment to bring them to DOT standards.

Lessard described operational changes the DPW has made — a dedicated pipe crew and a customized former-rescue truck used for water-main and pipe response — and said hiring staff with private-industry experience has improved field capacity.

Ending: Lessard closed by asking the council to remember that urgent storm repairs still take precedence. Council Chair Andrea Coko thanked him for the briefing and told members the presentation and the DPW’s lists will be useful to take back to the Board of Selectmen when the council seeks support for larger, multi-year infrastructure plans.