2018 Update #52

Merchants Row to Close to Through Traffic Wednesday-Friday;

Main Street Temporary Bridge Repair on Friday

As I mentioned in our last weekly update, Kubricky plans to close Merchants Row to through traffic this week in order to excavate a utility trench across the roadway. I can now confirm that this work will take place starting Wednesday.

As a reminder, when the tunnel that will replace our two downtown bridges is constructed during Summer 2020, a large crane will sit on the Town Hall Theater side of the Merchants Row Bridge to set the concrete sections of that tunnel in place.

For the crane to operate freely and safely, the overhead utility wire that crosses Merchants Row at Bourdon Insurance and that carries electric and telecom service to St. Stephen’s needs to be removed and placed underground.

The first step in that process will take place on Wednesday, with Kubricky excavating an eight-foot-deep trench across Merchants Row, placing a conduit in the trench, and encasing that conduit in concrete. The concrete then has to cure for 24 hours before Kubricky can backfill the trench with stone and repave the roadway. The overhead wires will be pulled through at a later date.

Parking in the lower section of Merchants Row (in front of the Battell Block) and access to the Battell Block parking lot will not be affected but there will be no through traffic on Merchants Row during the construction.

We can expect Merchants Row to open back up on Friday afternoon.

Paving Fix on Main Street Bridge

Once Merchants Row is reopened on Friday, Kubricky will shift attention to Man Street in order to repair the humped pavement that’s developed as you drive across the temporary bridge headed west.

One lane at a time will be closed during the repair work, which will likely get underway Friday afternoon and last through the end of the day. There should be no impact on parking but those who travel the Main Street corridor downtown, particularly during the evening rush hour, should expect some delay; the Cross Street and Pulp Mill bridges may serve as good alternative routes.

If you take the Pulp Mill Bridge, please be mindful that there is a clearance limit and a weight limit on our covered bridge.

That’s all for today. See you downtown.

Please keep your comments and questions coming. Send me an email at jgish@townofmiddlebury.org and I’ll try to cover it in my next update.