PROJECT KICKOFF: Weather permitting, work on this project will begin at 7:00 AM on Monday, March 15, 2010. At that time, Salem Avenue will be closed to thru traffic between Burhans Blvd. and West Side Avenue. A detour plan will be implemented to direct traffic around the work area. Each evening, the westbound lane of Salem Avenue will be reopened to traffic; however, eastbound traffic will still be forced to detour around the area. The contractor will then close the westbound lane of Salem Avenue around 7:00 AM of the next work day; this pattern of daytime road closures will be repeated throughout the duration of the project.

PROJECT PURPOSE: This project will replace the partial collapse of the wastewater collection system main, the defective lateral connections, and the associated Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) of system related flow. The projects limits on Salem Avenue are from Winter Street to Burhans Boulevard.

PROJECT BUDGET: The project was budgeted at $1,042,000 and the City was notified that we will receive up to $1,000,000 in 0% interest loan monies from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). The project has been approved by the MDE.

CONTRACTOR: D.H. Martin Excavating Inc. of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania was awarded the contract.

PROJECT SCHEDULE: We have delayed the start of the project until March 15. Snow and cold weather affect the bypass pumping of the sewerage around the work areas. Substantial completion will be 300 days (January 10, 2011).

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION: City Staff will deliver project information to the residents in the area later this month. We will continually update the website as there are new events to report.

AGENCY COORDINATION: The Wastewater Division met with MDE staff, City Engineering, Board of Education staff, D.H. Martin staff, Allied Waste, the County Commuter, and other City Departments to advise everyone of the project timeline. We are developing plans to address their issues that may arise over the length of the project.

PARKING AND TRAFFIC DETOUR: The traffic control will change over the course of the project. Detours will be posted accordingly and the City will make every effort to keep the cross streets open so residents have access to alleys and parallel streets to Salem Ave. The City directed the contractor to only displace the minimum amount of on street parking needed to safely complete the work each day, and we are attempting to find off street parking for the displaced residents in the general neighborhood. We will endeavor to restore all parking on the weekends.

Salem Avenue Aerial Exhibit (pdf), click here.

Last revised 3/9/2010