North Adams Fire Hydrant Project Starts Next Week
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The fire hydrant replacement project is set to begin on Monday, likely in the North Holden Street area.
Mayor Thomas Bernard said at Tuesday's City Council meeting that the parts had been delivered last week and "the contractors got us on the schedule for beginning next week."
The status of the city's fire hydrants came to the fore after firefighters struggled with nonfunctioning ones at two fires within about a week of each other this past winter. A further review found about 55 out of service, less than had been expected based on efforts over the past decade to repair and replace nearly half of the city's 631 fireplugs.
The City Council in March approved a borrowing of $300,000 to purchase and install hydrants in one shot after it became obvious the understaffed Water Department was unable to keep up with maintenance and replacement. Nearly 60 faulty hydrants are expected to be replaced and more staff was also hired in the Water Department and included in this year's budget.
The contract was award in June to FW Webb Co. of Bedford for $121,697 for 50 hydrants and extension pieces and Cain's Mechanical Service in Southwick for $205,250 for installation. Delivery had been expected to take 30 to 60 days and the installation has a deadline of 45 days from start.
The mayor said the only complication he could see was the weather, if August turns out to be as rainy as July.
"I think the first priority areas are up off of North Holden Street, where streetscape and road improvement work is going to be getting done so they want to get that in before," he said. The mayor said he didn't have the full list mapped out by Public Services Commissioner Timothy Lescarbeau at hand but he could provide it later to the councilors.
North Holden is the first of several streets on the north side of downtown that are set to be reconstructed through Community Development Block Grant funds. The city is shifting this federal funding toward road projects in low-income areas after a number of years of investment in recreational facilities and parks.
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