Norwood public works outlines multi‑million dollar street, water and bridge projects; water tank loan approved by state

At the Board of Selectmen meeting on May 27, public works representative Mark Ryan summarized an extensive slate of infrastructure work planned or under way across Norwood, including street resurfacing and several water, signal and bridge projects.

Ryan told the board the town has about $3,900,000 of resurfacing work planned covering roughly 35 streets and expects contractor mobilization in the next few weeks. He said Pawtucket Paving — which previously repaved municipal lots in Norwood — is the resurfacing contractor the town will use this season.

Ryan described coordination with MassDOT on the intersection reconstruction at Upland Road, Washington and Prospect streets. He said the contractor and MassDOT have been meeting every other week and that a retaining wall and ledge drilling work have occupied much of the winter. Ryan said the state will replace two 24‑inch drains that were found collapsing; however, he said the project now appears likely to run into the 2026 construction season rather than finishing in 2025.

The board heard that Covey Electric is the contractor for Washington and Manhattan Street signal upgrades; Ryan said materials submittals are under review and that conduit installation and foundation work should start in mid‑June. Separately, Ducon Construction is working on the 2025 water main cleaning and lining project on Railroad Avenue and will later move to Gay Street West Border Road neighborhood and Shaw Street in Lenox Avenue to clean and line mains and replace water services to the sidewalk edge.

On the town’s planned water tank replacement, Ryan said town meeting authorized an additional $3,700,000 in borrowing and that the paperwork was sent to the state. He said the town was awarded a state revolving fund loan with a 2.4% interest rate and the state will issue a notice to proceed to the contractor once state authorization is complete; Ryan said the town hopes to begin work in July.

Ryan also updated the board on several other capital projects: a planned ornamental fence and entrance work at Old Parish Cemetery funded in part by Community Preservation Committee (CPC) funds; a Westover Parkway bridge (culvert) replacement funded by ARPA that will close Westover Parkway for 10–12 weeks after school ends in mid‑June; Meadowbrook Drain channel cleanup funded with ARPA; and multiple playground, pickleball/tennis and parking lot projects around the Savage Center. He said Hennessy Basin design remains in a lengthy permitting process, with plans and specs anticipated by September 2026.

Ryan gave routine operations updates: cemetery crews preparing for Memorial Day (he reported 81 burials at Highland Cemetery to date, with 62 full burials and 19 cremations), continued parks and ballfield maintenance, installation of a concrete pad outside the police station, and household hazardous waste day scheduled for June 7.

The board asked whether the water tank work would disrupt high‑school athletic fields; Ryan said the work is inside the fenced tank site and contractors must limit noise during events. Selectmen also encouraged the public works staff to consider temporary restroom provisions at an airport playground during busy periods; Ryan noted the airport parking lot has use restrictions tied to federal grant assurances and that the town cannot sublease airport parking for private business use.

Ryan closed by noting stormwater regulations were finalized and a hearing was scheduled for the coming Thursday.

Why it matters: the projects Ryan described involve multi‑million dollar contracts, multiple funding sources (including ARPA and a state revolving loan), and road and utility work that will affect traffic, school access and neighborhoods over the next construction seasons.