SOUTHWICK – An informational hearing is set to be held at the auditorium of the Southwick Town Hall on Nov. 29 at 6:30. The hearing will be about the Congamond Rd. and sewer projects.
DPW Director Randy Brown said that the hearing will be designed to layout both projects and is open to the community to give their input.
Several representatives of the Town of Southwick will be present including the DPW, the Select Board, the Sewer Implementation Committee, as well as town counsel. The USDA Rural Development will also be in attendance as they will be available for anyone’s services. They can talk about the opportunities income-eligible residents may have to help offset any betterment payments.
“We’ll have a whole gamut of people to answer any questions that come up,” said Brown.
The hearing provides the information about the project and a town vote will be held at the special town meeting on Dec. 6 regarding appropriated funds for the sewer portion of the project.
Southwick DPW Director Randy Brown will be providing information to the community during the hearing. (WNG File Photo)
The betterment is certainly something that Brown sees as important to this process.
“People want to know what the betterment is going to be,” said Brown.
Brown will be prepared to give the community as much understanding as possible.
“We’ll have some drawings showing the proposed road layouts,” said Brown.
The sewer aspect will also be spelled out during the hearing.
Mass DOT (Massachusetts Department of Transportation) is heading the road project that includes a total road reconstruction. The project will run from College Highway south to the state line.
The improvements that will be made to the project include widening the lanes with bicycle lanes, new sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, and a storm water management system. All of the regrading and general safety improvements will comply with the state and federal requirements.
According to Brown, the design for the road project is 75% done and construction isn’t expected to begin until the summer or fall of 2017.
The sewer part of the project consists of expanding and upgrading the sewer system in the Gillette Corner neighborhood which is the College Highway and Congamond Rd. intersection. More piping is also expected to be installed throughout Congamond Rd.
Having the sewer lines extended to go along Congamond Rd. is very important to those who make the most use of the road.
“That’s a lot of people that work there (on Congamond Rd.),” said Select Board Chairman Russ Fox.
Brown wants to continue to inform the community of Southwick about the upcoming informational hearing on Nov.29. Brown also welcomes anyone to check out the DPW page on the town website which will have more information on both projects.
