SOUTHWICK – DPW Director Randy Brown announced this week that North Loomis Street will be closed for different periods of time next week due to a road project originally announced in December 2017.
Construction of the Shurtleff Brook Bridge replacement project will take place near 382 North Loomis Street, closing the road from Monday to Wednesday, starting at 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. The road will be out of use again on Monday August 6, beginning at 8 a.m. and will close for a two or three-week period until the construction has concluded.
Shurtleff Brook Bridge. (WNG File Photo)
“Residents are asked to follow the posted detour signs,” said Brown. “Please be aware that this schedule may change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.”
Any updates about the road closure will be posted on the Town of Southwick website and published in The Westfield News.
The Shurtleff Brook Bridge project consists of replacing the 100-year old bridge on North Loomis Street that is 16 ft. long and 20 ft. wide. The replacement will be 19 ft. long and 32 ft. wide. The project also includes realigning and widening the road as well as having the proper accommodation for vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
In March 2018 the town received a $500,000 grant from Mass DOT’s Municipal Small Bridge Program. Mass DOT accepts bridges into the program that are municipally owned, 10 to 20 feet in length, and are being replaced or trying to be preserved.
In December of 2017, the Select Board signed off on the $116,000 contract for Gill Engineering to do the engineering portion of the project.
Brown also pointed out that another $325,000 will be used towards the project as that money was approved by the town at the last annual town meeting.
