Derry

Derry bridge, intersection projects on schedule

By Eric Parry
Staff Writer
Published: October 1, 2009

DERRY — Two state-controlled construction projects are on schedule to be completed before winter, despite a lack of work in recent weeks.

State Department of Transportation officials said they still plan to finish replacing a bridge on Island Pond Road. For the last couple of months, a traffic light has directed traffic over the bridge that is only wide enough for one lane.

Douglas Gosling, administrator of bridge maintenance with the DOT, said they didn't learn the upstream half of the bridge was washed out until they inspected it earlier this summer.

The problem is that the previous bridge was too small and it was damaged during severe flooding over the last several years, he said. Gosling said they're just waiting for a new culvert to be made for underneath the bridge.

Even though workers haven't been at the scene regularly, he said they have been working on the project.

Nicole Dube, who lives right in front of the bridge, said she's only seen DOT working on the bridge two or three times since the traffic lights went up.

"We were not informed the lights were going up, we were not informed of anything," Dube said. For some who live in the area, the light has been a hassle.

"Getting out of the driveway has been kind of a challenge," Dube said.

Once DOT officials determine what size culvert they need, it takes about two months for the structure to be built, Gosling said.

The road will be closed for a short time when the culvert is installed and a detour will be announced.

"We're hoping to finish by the first part of November," Gosling said.

Across town, the intersection of Route 102, Birch Street and Crystal Avenue is right on schedule, despite a lack of visible progress in recent weeks.

The first step in the project was to demolish the old Dandi-Lyon's flower shop on the corner of Birch Street, which was done last spring.

Alex Vogt, DOT project manager, said the state is still on track to add turn lanes, a new traffic light and 20 parking spaces to the intersection by the end of 2010.

National Grid has rerouted a gas main under the intersection, but FairPoint Communications still has to put telephone wires underground. Vogt said a lot of the utility work has been completed, but there are still utility poles surrounding the intersection. There have been no problems with any of the work so far, Vogt said.

"Once the utilities are out of the way, it won't take them long to finish," he said.

But Mike Fowler, director of Derry's Public Works Department, said he hopes to see more of the actual reconfiguration of the intersection done this fall.

"We had certainly hoped to see some substantive work," Fowler said.

The window for FairPoint to put the telephone wires underground is closing quickly, Fowler said.

Vogt said demolishing the existing parking lot, where the flower store stood, will now take place next spring, along with paving the intersection.