BF Norton construction moves into site work; superintendent outlines compaction tests, piers and loop road timeline

Superintendent Dr. Thornton told the Cumberland School Committee on Sept. 11 that site work at the new B.F. Norton school is progressing, with compaction testing, earth-moving, an on-site loop road and early ground-improvement work planned.

Dr. Thornton described the work in lay terms: crews are performing compaction testing on native soils and, where necessary, “we hire companies to do things under the ground,” including installing ground-improvement elements such as rammed aggregate piers to support building foundations. He said a short demonstration video of rammed aggregate piers was shown to the committee and that the district expects contractors to perform much of that work in October.

The superintendent said much of the dirt on site has been tested and can be reused, but additional soil will be brought in to raise the site “up to Bridal Street levels.” He described a planned loop road encircling part of the site and estimated it would likely be completed “probably Thanksgiving, Christmas” (an approximate timetable stated at the meeting).

Dr. Thornton also said crews are excavating an area for a stormwater retention system and that the district secured an easement allowing the project to connect to Forest Avenue utilities, which avoids installing a pumping station.

He informed the committee that the guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for the project was due the next day. Committee members did not take action at the meeting on these construction items; one committee member, Andrew Adams, announced a recusal from B.F. Norton discussions due to employment with a company performing ground-improvement work.