A stretch of one of the town’s most traveled roadways is getting a makeover just as the summer season kicks into gear.
Starting Monday the town and its outside vendor will begin repaving about three quarters of a mile of Samoset Street from Sixteen Twenty Drive – past Walgreens, just before Marc Drive – to the intersection of Carver Road and Route 80 (Plympton Road).
The $800,000 project, expected to last three to four weeks, involves milling and repaving the road. Work will take place between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. July 4 falls on Saturday, so people using the route to get to the parade, fireworks, and other holiday activities won’t be affected.
”Our hope is that with school out, people may be on vacation, and it will actually be lighter traffic than what we would see during the normal construction season,” said DPW director Bill Coyle.
The Samoset Street/Carver Road corridor is a “major aertial,” he said. “We want to make sure we keep these roads in good condition because so many people do travel them.”
As for why now, Coyle said “it’s important to have a roadway treatment before it deteriorates to a point where you need to do more than a mill and overlay. If we didn’t address this road soon, in the next few years it would deteriorate to a point where you’d have to pulverize it. And now you’re really disrupting traffic because you’re basically driving over gravel.”
It would also substantially drive up the cost.
The first week will involve milling the pavement – grinding down about two inches of the asphalt – according to town engineer Richard Bosse.
Once the paving is completed, Coyle said, he expects it will take another two weeks for the asphalt oil to settle before permanent lane markings can be applied. The road will be open during that period.
But until then, anticipate traffic backups and, as the saying goes, plan accordingly.
“Residents may expect temporary parking restrictions, minor traffic delays, and possible daytime detours,” the town said in a press release. “We ask that you drive carefully and be alert to activity in the area.”
Coyle said the DPW will monitor traffic flow and adjust the paving schedule if needed.
For those who live along the two roads, “individual driveways should remain accessible, except when specifically working around your driveway,” the DPW said. “The Town of Plymouth and its contractor, Pawtucket Hot Mix Asphalt Inc., will make every effort to minimize these inconveniences to residents and visitors to the area. However, some level of disruption may occur.”
Translation: Avoid that part of Samoset Street and Carver Road if you can. For example, if you’re making a Market Basket run, getting there via Commerce Way might be a better option.
If you have questions or concerns about the project, contact Bosse at 508-747-1620 ext. 10125.
Mark Pothier can be reached at mark@plymouthindependent.org.