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Town manager updates residents on speed cameras, Main Street paving and bond‑funded road projects
Summary
Town Manager Paul Harrington and Public Works Director Jim Rollins reported that CT DOT permits allow speed cameras on state Route 44 with installations and citation issuance expected in July; Main Street mill/pave work is underway with some delays; bond projects and drainage/sidewalk work were detailed, and the board agreed to re‑bid a sidewalk contract after the selected contractor became unresponsive.
Town Manager Paul Harrington and Public Works Director Jim Rollins gave a detailed update June 1 on several transportation and public‑works projects, including the town’s speed‑camera program, Main Street roadway work and a range of bond‑funded road and drainage initiatives.
Harrington said the town had received CT DOT permission to install speed cameras on state road 44 and was working through encroachment permits required to mount equipment; one camera location near the center of town may require supplemental electrification because trees could block solar panels. Harrington said the goal is to have cameras up and issuing citations in July, and the town is finalizing appeal and hearing‑officer processes.
Public Works Director Jim Rollins reviewed multiple bond‑funded projects: Grantville Road Bridge (60% design expected in July; construction deferred to spring 2028), Highland Lake retrofit and MS4 work, drainage and retaining‑wall projects on West Wakefield Boulevard, Newfield Road drainage and paving (drainage this summer, paving in fall), and Oakdale Avenue pipe replacement. He said Spring Street milling began and should be paved this week or next.
Rollins also described a procurement problem on the town’s sidewalk program: the contractor awarded the sidewalk contract (single bidder) has gone silent. The town used local contractors to finish a time‑sensitive area, but will reissue the sidewalk bid for the larger program; Rollins said the town is revising the concrete mix specification to reduce spalling.
On Main Street, Harrington said CT DOT and Eversource work affected the planned mill‑and‑pave sequencing; contractors milled some sections without paving the same night, prompting manager follow‑up. Board members debated whether milling the whole block before paving would avoid cold‑joints and bumps, while the town explained the contractor and DOT were coordinating nocturnal work to minimize business disruption.
Rollins outlined annual maintenance allocations in the approved budget: roughly $560,000 for annual road maintenance with line items for crack seal, chip seal, hazard tree removal, shimming/pothole patching and discretionary funds. He said additional sidewalk funding and a 'sidewalk revolving fund' program are planned to help property owners complete work adjacent to their properties.
The public‑works report and project documents will be posted to the town website and distributed to selectmen; the board asked staff to continue outreach about traffic calming and crosswalk improvements tied to the Safe Streets for All survey and to keep the community informed as designs and grant applications advance.
