By now, you’ve seen the road construction sites in a few places around town – and along with it, congestion and traffic delays. Stoneham is at the center of several large-scale regional utility projects crisscrossing the town – pretty much occurring simultaneously. That’s the not-so-good news.
The good news is the outcomes Stoneham will eventually enjoy; redundant power line and water line installations that will result in much lower chance of brownouts or loss of power, and much reduced chance of flooding and water contamination resulting from water main breakage. Wonderful aesthetic improvements you will see? A beautiful new cross-town bike path, freshly paved streets and curbs, and identified newly planted street trees.
On June 22, Stoneham Town officials met with representatives of Eversource, MASS DOT, MWRA, National Grid and other groups to discuss an overarching construction coordination schedule for Stoneham. Here’s what to expect for projects affecting businesses 2017 through 2019:
- MWRA 48” Waterline Pipe Redundancy Project: 1st phase began April, 2017 and now centered on Oak Street behind Redstone Shopping Ctr., and at Elm Street by Walgreens. 2nd phase begins this Fall working north from South and Main Streets.
- Tri-Community Bike Path: Will likely begin before winter at Woburn Gelatin Plant locale. Traffic not to be significantly affected until Spring 2018 when path reaches area near Montvale Avenue and Lindenwood Road. Paving on bikeway to begin Spring 2018, expected project completion, May, 2019.
- Main Street/North Street Signal Light and Lane configuration project: Project start March, 2018; digging up roadway, adding new lanes, redoing sidewalks, significant repaving. Project completion expected September, 2019.
- Montvale Avenue & Washington Street intersection/Woburn Project: Project start March 2018. Entails redoing traffic signals, widening lanes, work on the Woburn side of I-93 on/off ramps. Completion expected October, 2020.
- Eversource Woburn to Wakefield 345K Transmission Project: No date set yet for start. The Energy Siting Board still reviewing options. Delays in adjacent communities, but Stoneham is “ready to go”.