County Approved For Reimbursement For Irene Repairs
 The hole in East Road in Adams is expected to be completed in the next few weeks. |
In Adams, the Federal Highway Administration is paying $120,000 for East Road's culvert replacement. The total project is expected to cost about $150,000, meaning the reimbursement is 80 percent.
East Road was expected to be open on Dec. 15 but was delayed because of weather. According to Town Administrator Jonathan Butler, the road is just about ready to be open.
"It's really weather permitting," Butler said on Tuesday.
Butler said the town could conceivably open the road now while contractors finish up the last-minute details but it would require a police officer to be on site to direct traffic. There is an option to fine the contractor for the delay but Butler said the town has not exercised it because the company is local, has been diligently working and is keeping town officials up to date on the project's progression.
Adams approved using deficit spending to pay for the repairs. The hole in East Road is one of the most notable repair projects the town is working on but the most expensive is the reconstruction of a bank near the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum. Initial estimates placed that project in the $1 million range but the scope of the work has since dropped and town officials are expecting the cost to be closer to $600,000. The town opened bids on that project on Tuesday and are expected to award it soon.
That project had been approved for a 75 percent reimbursement from the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service, which also approved 75 percent reimbursement for a two-phase project to clean drainage systems on Pine and Columbia streets. The Pine and Columbia Street projects were expected to cost about $170,000. Some other smaller projects are expected to be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency but the town has not received final confirmation.
In North Adams, the city will receive $115,000 for repairs on West Shaft Road and State Street. According to state officials, North Adams was approved for $75,000 for road and slope repairs on West Shaft Road and $40,000 for road and drainage repairs on State Street.
Mayor Richard Alcombright said those figures may not be accurate because those projects cost less than initially expected. Alcombright said the State Street project has been completed for about $20,000 and West Shaft Road was for $74,500. The Federal Highway Administration agreed to fund 75 percent of the projects' costs.
The city had been approved for 75 percent reimbursement for a $470,000 project on McCauley Road, where construction is expected to begin soon, and for a $295,720 project on Avon Street, where a water main break upped the expense by $100,000. The Avon Street project has been completed.
FEMA previously approved 75 percent reimbursements for projects on Daniels Road and Reservoir Road. Those projects will cost a total of $18,000 and $10,000 respectively. The Daniels Road project has been completed and Reservoir Road is expected to be repaired in the spring.
On Crest Street, a $1.2 million project was approved for 75 percent reimbursement by FEMA but will need extra design work that will delay construction until the spring. The cost is not expected to increase because of the extra design work, Alcombright said.
The City Council approved borrowing up to $2.2 million for the repairs.
The Federal Highway Administration released a total of $4.65 million for emergency repairs to roads caused by the August tropical storm. State legislators declared a state of emergency after the storm for towns to be eligible for funding.
In Berkshire County:
ADAMS
$120,000 for culvert repairs on East Road.
MONTEREY
$37,000 for repair work on Routes 57 and 23.
MOUNT WASHINGTON
$111,000 for retaining wall work, road repair and slope repair on Bish Bash Road.
NEW MARLBORO
$23,000 for road repair and slope repair on Route 57.
NORTH ADAMS
$75,000 for road repair and slope repair on West Shaft Road.
$40,000 for road repairs and drainage repairs on State Street.
PERU
$20,000 for waterway report on Rt. 143 East of August Road.
$20,000 for road repairs on Rt. 143 West of Lafayette.
SAVOY
$22,000 for road repair and slope repairs on Route 116.
TYRINGHAM
$50,000 for road repair and slope repair on Main Road.
Tags: federal, Irene, roadwork,
