Good afternoon,
Casella Construction, Inc., continued to make progress on downtown utility upgrades this past week. Crews focused on installing new water service connections to the Central Square fountain and adjacent buildings on the north and west sides of the Square. Casella also successfully connected the new water main to the existing water main on West Street.
During the scheduled tie-in work on Thursday, an existing, century-old water valve failed while being operated. This unexpected failure expanded the scope of the temporary shutdown, affecting water service for more downtown customers and for a longer duration than originally anticipated. Keene Public Works crews responded to contain the situation, manage the outage, and successfully replace the failed valve.
Planned Work Activities
- Monday, October 5–Thursday, October 8: Water main installation will continue along the south side of the Square, from West Street toward Roxbury Street. Crews will also make water service connections to buildings along the east and west sides of Central Square.
- Parking spaces will be temporarily closed to safely complete this work. Drivers should expect shifted traffic patterns, road closures, and detours within the active work zone.
- Crews may work past 5:00 p.m. to take advantage of daylight and favorable weather, maintain productivity, and restore traffic and parking by the end of each workday.
Parking Impacts
- Monday, October 5–Friday, October 9: Several parking spaces on the east and west sides of Central Square will be closed from 7:00 a.m. until the conclusion of the workday.
- Parking spaces blocked by orange cones or barriers are designated No Parking zones.
- Several public parking lots within a short walking distance will remain open. For locations and details, please visit the City’s Parking Services webpage.
Traffic Impacts and Detours
- Monday, October 5–Friday, October 9: Northbound and southbound traffic through Central Square will be reduced to one travel lane.
- Tuesday, October 6–Wednesday, October 7: Southbound access through Central Square to Main Street will be closed. Traffic will be detoured via West Street → School Street → Gilbo Avenue.
- Planned construction activities and related traffic impacts may change as work progresses. Motorists and pedestrians are encouraged to stay alert, use caution, and be prepared for shifting traffic patterns throughout the project area.
Other News
- The next Coffee & Hardhats meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 7, at 9:00 a.m. at the Keene Transportation Center. Representatives from Casella Construction will be available to discuss upcoming work in Central Square, and the public is invited to attend and ask questions.
Thank you for your continued support. If you have questions, please contact our Downtown Project Ombudsman, George Downing, at (603) 757-2105 or gdowning@keenenh.gov, or contact me directly at (603) 352-6550.
Have a great weekend!
Bill Siemer, P.E.
Assistant City Engineer
