Local brief: Academy Street construction update

The rumblings of construction have become almost white noise to Middlebury residents since crews broke ground on the Cross Street Bridge project in the fall. But cross-town commuters will be happy to know that construction is taking strides, and the progress is keeping with the anticipated completion date later in October.

According to Town Planner Fred Dunnington, work on the bridge itself is roughly halfway done, and the town has turned its attention to the construction of the new road connecting Weybridge Street to South Street, Academy Street. In the week from April 19 - 23, road bed preparation and underground storm drain utility work at the site began. Since then, sanitary sewer relocations and storm structure installations have continued on Academy Street.

“The idea is to get the [water and sewer lines] modernized and in good shape so we don’t have to dig up the brand new street,” Dunnington said of the utility work that must be completed before work on Academy St. can continue.

Town officials hope that Academy St. will be completed by College commencement. Construction will stop altogether on the day of graduation, in anticipation of increased traffic. Dunnington said that officials are also aware of other campus events like Alumni College and the start of summer school that may cause an influx in traffic, but they have a responsibility to strike a balance between College and town needs.

“We have obligations to keep traffic moving, and to minimize disruption,” Dunnington noted.

After Academy St. is completed, construction crews will turn their efforts to South Main St., where curbing changes are to take place. College St. will also be widened during the summer, which may cause the most significant changes in traffic patterns.

“There is a major water valve vault about the size of a bread truck, or an ACTR bus,” Dunnington said, explaining the structure that will be largely responsible for the changes in traffic patterns. “That is the size of the excavation that will occur in the middle of Main St.”

Plans call for preliminary paving to begin at the end of August. Officials hope that paving will be finalized by September 7, when classes resume at the College. However, Dunnington notes, the town is also feeling pressure from Middlebury residents for whom the College’s schedule is not a central concern.

“A considerable part of town is highly aware of the College calendar and clock,” Dunnington said. “Others are just peripherally aware. To local residents [construction] may be perceived a little differently.”

All things considered, the tentative plan is for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to take place on Oct. 10, 2010, at 10:00 am.
“That is,” Dunnington laughed of the chosen time, “If the numerologists don’t have something else in mind for us.”

---