May 2024
Town Meeting voted on both projects during the Annual Spring Town Meeting on May 14th, 2024. The Recreation project received approval from Town Meeting and the Council on Aging (COA) did not. The project team will move forward with the Recreation project, the Select Board will make a decision at a future meeting regarding the COA.
March 2024
The project team will be going before the Capital Facilities Committee (CFC) on Wednesday March 13th. At that meeting, the CFC will make a recommendation to the Select Board on a preliminary design and budget for a Council on Aging facility and Recreation Center. Its expected the combined cost of both projects will be in the neighborhood of forty-one million dollars. On March 18th the Select Board heard the recommendation from the Capital Facilities Committee and voted unanimously to put a funding article on the Spring 2024 Town Meeting Warrant.
January 2024
The Town and architectural firm, Abacus, have been reviewing the design with the COA Director and Recreation Director to ensure that all of their needs are satisfied. In addition, Abacus is going over all the comments made at the last CFC meeting to capture as much as possible.
December 2023
On Tuesday, December 12, Abacus, the architect for the two buildings presented the preliminary designs and costs to the Capital Facilities Committee. Many of the members from the Recreation Commission and COA Board of Directors were in attendance for the presentation. Feedback seemed generally positive. Abacus will attempt to incorporate these comments into their designs and come back before CFC sometime in February.
October 2023
The estimates have been completed by Abacus. Left Field is currently working through reconciliation but they seem to be both around $20,000,000. Preliminary designs and cost will be presented to the Capital Facilities Committee and the Select Board for next steps sometime in November. However, it should be noted if the Town Center does get reversed by the electorate the costs for the COA are no longer valid since the current COA Programming would need to be temporarily relocated during construction.
July 2023
The Town received the preliminary results from the geotechnical investigations at the site which indicate some bedrock as well as large boulders that may need to be treated as bedrock. The Town will be meeting with the neighbors in the coming weeks to update them on the progress and recommendations for River Street Extension and old Middlesex Road.
June 2023
Due diligence is currently being performed by the architect including layout options and design renderings. Once these are completed the project will be sent to an estimator for cost projections. This is expected to be completed in October and to be presented to the Select Board at their first meeting in November. If approved by the Select Board the project will go for funding at the Spring 2024 Town Meeting.
May 2023
The Capital Facilities Committee has voted to raze and rebuild the Council on Aging on the current site and to place a Recreation Center at the tennis courts at PHR. Abacus will begin the process of cost estimating before it is brough to the Select Board for a final recommendation.
April 2023
On March 28th the Capital Facilities Committee held a meeting to discuss the future of the Recreation Center/ Council on Aging. Abacus, the architects for the project gave a presentation to the committee that reviewed the location options and layout. The meeting was well attended, and the community was given the opportunity to give their feedback and ask questions. The majority of residents in attendance agreed that two separate buildings would best fit the two groups as opposed to an intergenerational center. Additionally, almost all of the residents in attendance agreed that the Council on Aging should remain on its current site in the center of Town. Some concern was brought up about parking at PHR, but that is currently being studied further by Abacus. The next Capital Facilities meeting will be on May 3rd.
March 2023
COA and Recreation have been meeting with the architect, Abacus to discuss their needs in a new space, this helps the architect determine a design. Abacus will be presenting options to the Capital Facilities Committee during their March, 28th meeting in the Conway Hearing Room at 5:30PM.
February 2023
The Capital Facilities Committee will meet on Monday, February 13th at 5:30PM. This will serve as the kickoff meeting for the committee and the selected architect Abacus. Abacus is currently in the process of reviewing community feedback and the programmatic work done by BH+A. They will begin a round of interviews on the week of the 8th with Town Staff. Currently the timeline for a project is Fall Town Meeting. To achieve that goal please see the below schedule:
Capital Facility Committee Meetings
February – Kickoff Meeting with Committee.
March – Presentation of two options. Community feedback and listening session.
April – Refinement of two options based on feedback. Community feedback and listening session.
May – Refinement of two options based on feedback. Vote on preferred option to recommend to the Select Board.
June – Select Board vote to accept or deny recommendation from Capital Facilities Committee.
From there the Town would continue design and public input sessions on the preferred option.
January 2023
The Town, Left Field, and Vice Chair Mike Riley interviewed three architects to perform the feasibility study for the Recreation Department and Council on Aging. The group ultimately chose Abacus Architects. They have previous experience in similar master planning studies, intergenerational centers, senior housing, council on aging centers, and recreational facilities. They placed a large emphasis on community support and outreach during the process. The Town will be having a kickoff meeting with the architect this week.
Proposed DPW Facility Rendering
Project Timeline
October 2024
The Town will be holding a groundbreaking ceremony for the new DPW on Saturday, October 19th, 2024 at 10:00AM. The new DPW is located at 250 Boston Road, adjacent to the Water Treatment Facility. Parking for the event will be limited please park at the Water treatment facility and walk to the groundbreaking ceremony.
September 2024
Site work has officially begun, with clearing currently taking place. The project team has been in direct contact with the neighbors to ensure transparency and address any concerns. As part of the site work, there will be some blasting required. The contractor has assured us that all blasting activity will be communicated in advance, and we will ensure all neighbors are fully informed ahead of time.
July 2024
The DPW project bids came in $4,000,000+ under budget this includes the bid alternates as well. The Town, OPM, and Architect had all been patiently waiting these bids. With only three general contractors, a complicated site, and a large building, the team was generally anxious. All three bids came in under budget and relatively close to each other.
May 2024
The Project team received approval from the Planning Board and Conservation Commission. This is a significant project milestone. Work will begin on preparing the bid packages and those are expected to go out early this Summer. Construction is scheduled to begin this coming fall.
February 2024
The project team is still going through the permitting process with the local Conservation Commission and the Planning Board. We expect that to be wrapped up next month. We are also reviewing pre-qualifications for all potential bidders.
January 2024
This month the design team will be in front of the Planning Board and Conservation Commission for permitting purposes.
November 2023
Town Meeting approved the funding for the New DPW Facility at the Fall 2023 Town Meeting. This project will now move forward with design development. Weston and Sampson is planning to provide renderings for the next meeting. This project will go out to bid somewhere between February and March.
September 2023
Design work is ongoing for the new DPW facility. The Town has been meeting with architects, engineers, and green energy experts to determine what sustainable features are best suited for the new facility. As of now the Town is exploring building the facility to be solar ready and using rainwater for irrigation as well as the knock down pad for vehicles. Funding for the DPW facility is on the Fall 2023 Town Meeting Warrant.
August 2023
Cost estimating for the DPW Building was completed. Weston and Sampson and PMA have done many DPW buildings recently and their initial estimates were spot on. There is also some level of certainty in this number due to the fact that Tewksbury has received filed subs bids back on their DPW building and these numbers were consistent with their cost estimate.
| Schematic Design Cost Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Design, Management & administration | $ 2,234,500 |
| Construction | $ 43,415,500 |
| Owner’s Soft Costs | $ 1,335,000 |
| Contingency | $ 3,005,000 |
| Overall Total Project Costs: | $ 49,990,000 |
July 2023
The Town received the preliminary results from the geotechnical investigations at the site which indicate some bedrock as well as large boulders that may need to be treated as bedrock. The Town will be meeting with the neighbors in the coming weeks to update them on the progress.
June 2023
This project continues to move along towards funding at Fall Town Meeting. The Town has almost completed the site layout including the administrative area, garage bay, storage areas, and other shops. The Town is also assessing improvements at River St Ext as well. The budget is roughly around $50,000,000. Due to the fluctuation and uncertainty of the market large escalation and contingency numbers have been included in the budget. The project team went before the Select Board during their June 5th meeting to present the design and receive feedback. The Board only had one request; equity in the men’s and women’s locker rooms. The project team has come up with multiple options and is still working through what layout makes the most sense.
March/April 2023
The project team has been working with Weston & Sampson, the architects, to finalize the design for the administrative portion of the facility. The team is primarily focused on ensuring the spaces are used properly and that all of the DPW divisions can be accommodated. The truck storage will have the capacity to fit our entire DPW fleet with space for more vehicles in the future.
February 2023
On Wednesday, February 8,2023 the Town hosted a Public Information session for the new DPW facility. Weston and Sampson, the architects, presented the project to the community and answered any questions people had. Those who attended were primarily concerned about the new buildings impacts on the three neighbors. The Town will continue working with the neighbors to resolve any issues, but the project received positive feedback and will be moving forward. The Town is scheduling internal meetings with various departments to work through the permitting for the new facility.
January 2023
The Town has been meeting with Weston and Sampson, the project management team, and PMA Consultants, the owner’s project manager, regarding the new DPW facility. The meetings mostly revolved around preliminary layouts, timeline, and the permitting path moving forward. The project most likely will be coming back to Town Meeting in the Fall for funding. Geotechnical data, design, space needs, and site survey will be on-going in the coming months.
Update February 2024
On January 5, 2024, the Town of Billerica, in conjunction with the Town’s Consultant, VHB, submitted the 100% Design Submittal to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. This Submittal was the result of extensive engineering and design work based on comments received from MassDOT on the 25% and 75% Submittal, comments received from the public at the Public Hearing, and from field investigation at multiple locations.
The Project was filed with the MEPA office on February 15, 2024. Notice of availability of the Expanded Environmental Notification Form (EENF) was published in the February 23, 2024 edition of the Environmental Monitor (see EEA No. 16801). The EENF as well as the Proposed Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) can be downloaded directly from the Environmental Monitor website. Public comments are due to the MEPA office by March 25, 2024. Please submit any comments in writing to the MEPA Reviewer, Eva Vaughn: Eva.Vaughan@mass.gov.
The Town is currently working on securing the right of way and amendments to environmental permitting. The project is currently slated to bid in 2024.
Background
The Town of Billerica has been working over two decades to advance construction of the Yankee Doodle Bike Path throughout town. The construction of Phase 1 of the bikeway will connect the Town of Billerica regionally from the center of town, to the Minuteman Bikeway in Bedford, via the Narrow Gauge Bikeway. The completion of this section would provide an alternative mode transportation corridor from Billerica to Arlington, with connections to many other surrounding communities. The addition of this approximately 4 mile bike path to the community will provide a handicapped accessible link between educational, recreational and conservation areas in the southern portion of the Town.
As part of the design, the Town’s Consultant, VHB, has conducted an Alternative Analysis for the bike path alignment.
The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate various path alignments and to develop a report for the Yankee Doodle Bike Path Committee to use as a tool to select a preferred path alignment. The locations where this analysis was completed were: at the northern end of the project, at a parcel currently owned by the Cabot Corporation, where the abandoned rail bed intersects with Route 3; and at the southern end of the project. For the purposes of the analysis, the project has been divided into 4 sections.
- Section 1 extends from the Billerica High school to Richardson Street.
- Section 2 extends from Richardson Street to Middlesex Turnpike.
- Section 3 extends from Middlesex Turnpike to just north of Route 3.
- Section 4 extends from Route 3 to the Bedford Town line.
In February 2015, the Town submitted the Project Initiation Form (PIF) to MassDOT to request funding through the State and Federal Transportation Improvement Programs.
In July 2016, the Town submitted the 25% Design Submittal, 25% Design Appendices, 25% Design Plans and 25% Right of Way Plans to MassDOT. The path cross section will consist of a 10-foot wide asphalt shared use path (SUP) with two foot shoulders, for a total width of 14 feet. Included in the project is the construction of a 950-foot long boardwalk; a 30-foot high pedestrian ramp structure; drainage crossings; four roadway crossings with RRFB’s; advance roadway signage and pavement markings; and a four car parking lot and trailhead at Middlesex Turnpike.
In February 2018, the Town submitted the 25% Design Submittal, 25% Design Plans, 25% Corridor Design to Mass DOT.
A design public hearing was held on October 2, 2019 to provide the public with an opportunity to become fully acquainted with the project. Please see below for a copy of the presentation, handout, and plans presented at the hearing.
In August 2022, the Town submitted the 75% Design Submittal, along with the 1st Structural Bridge Design Submittal, to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
he purpose of this project is to improve vehicular and pedestrian safety and improve traffic operations through the project corridor. The project locus map is shown on the Construction Plans below. The proposed project consists of minor widening and resurfacing of Boston Road (Route 3A) from Danforth Village to Simmons Lane. The travel lanes will be reduced in the northern half of the project from 4 lanes to 3, which will include a center left turn lane. A new traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of Boston Road and Good Street. Two flashing pedestrian beacons will be installed at Heritage Road for the Marshall Middle School. The work will include Heritage Road from Boston Road to Mount Vernon Avenue and 600 feet of Good Street from Boston Road. Bicycle accommodations consisting of a 5’ bicycle lane or a shared use path will be provided in accordance with applicable design guides.
The Project was awarded to J. Tropeano, Inc. in June 2022.
Construction Start: Summer 2022
Construction Complete: Fall 2026
Project Background
On October 9, 2009, the Town received approval from MassDOT’s Project Review Committee for eligibility for Federal Aid funding for this project. the Town was responsible for the cost of the engineering design, environmental permitting, and any Right-of-Way acquisitions and/or easements necessary for the implementation of the project. MassDOT, through a combination of State and Federal funding, will be responsible for funding the construction cost of the project, with the exception of certain non-participating items.
Design began in 2014, starting with field survey of the project area.
A Virtual Design Public Hearing will be published on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 on the MassDOT Public Hearings website to present the design for the proposed Boston Road Rehabilitation Project in Billerica, MA. The purpose of this hearing is to provide the public with the opportunity to become fully acquainted with the proposed Boston Road Rehabilitation project. All views and comments submitted in response to the hearing will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible.
Newport Construction Corp. has been awarded a MassDOT Contract to mill and pave Boston Road (Route 3A) from the south end of the bridge over the Shawsheen River in Billerica to Birch Crest Street in Burlington. The project also includes areas of sidewalk replacement, new curb ramps, and traffic signal upgrades. Sidewalk, driveway, curb ramp excavation and installation will occur in the early stages of this project. Traffic signal upgrades will be completed later in 2024. The milling and paving portion of the project will occur in 2025.
The Project was awarded to Newport Construction Corporation
Construction start date: December 2023
Construction end date: November 2025
Update Winter of 2025:
After many revisions to the 100% Design Submittal, Massachusetts Department of Transportation has requested the Final Design Submission. Bidding Documents are being finalized and will be ready when the project is advertised. Project ad date is set for April 12, 2025.
On July 31, 2023, The Town of Billerica and in conjunction with the Town’s Consultant, BETA Group, submitted the 100% Design Submittal to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. This submittal was the result of extensive engineering and design work based on comments from MassDOT on the 25% and 75% submittal, comments received from the abutters at the Public Hearing, and from field investigation.
Scope of work:
Intersection Improvements Project at Boston Road, Lexington Road, and Glad Valley Drive (the Project) along an approximately 3,840-foot (0.7 miles) stretch of Boston Road (Route 3A) centrally located in Billerica, Massachusetts. The Boston Road corridor and the intersections of Lexington Road and Glad Valley Drive have safety and operational deficiencies which require improvements for safe and efficient operation for all users, including motor vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians. While road work is being performed the Town will also replace the water main that runs along the project length.
Construction on Phase 3 of the Middlesex Turnpike Roadway Improvement Project is ongoing. The project will be completed in sections as shown on the Schedule Plans below. During the project, two-way travel along Middlesex Turnpike will be in effect before 9:00 am and after 2:00 pm. Between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm, police details will limit traffic around the work crews to one travel lane at a time. Motorists driving through the corridor during the midday should expect a delay in travel time.
Phase 3 is the last of a multi-phase, multi-year program to improve traffic through the Tri-Town corridor linking Burlington, Bedford and Billerica. The limits of this project are from Crosby Drive/Plank Street in Bedford to Manning Road in Billerica. Similar to the other phases of the project, Middlesex Turnpike will be widened to two lanes in each direction with protected left turn lanes at all driveways. In addition, new traffic control signals will be installed at Oak Park Drive in Bedford and 900 Middlesex Turnpike, Lexington Road, and Manning Road in Billerica. There will be bike lanes and sidewalks along both sides of the roadway. Utility poles will be relocated to accommodate the widened cross section and new LED’s street lights will be installed. Significant work will take place to widen the roadway at the Shawsheen River. The project is expected to be complete by December 2024.
Below please find our 2025 Paving & Pavement Preservation Road Work List that shows the repair method scheduled on each road. This list is provided for informational purposes only, is not all inclusive, and is subject to change. The actual work to be performed may deviate based on a number of factors, such as funding, environmental permitting, scheduling, etc. All abutters will be contacted in advance of the work and will be provided additional details regarding the specific work on their street. Please contact the DPW Engineering Division for any questions.
| ROAD | FROM | TO | REPAIR METHOD |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALPINE ST | BOSTON RD | CHELMSFORD TL | FOG SEAL W/ CRACK SEAL |
| ANDOVER RD | BOSTON RD | ALLEN RD | DOUBLE MICRO W/ CRACK SEAL |
| ANDOVER RD | NEWPORT DR | WHIPPLE RD | MILL AND OVERLAY – 1.5″ |
| BRIDGE ST | TREBLE COVE RD | NEW FOSTER AVE | FOG SEAL W/ CRACK SEAL |
| BRIDGE ST | NEW FOSTER AVE | BRIDLE RD | MILL AND OVERLAY – 1.5″ |
| BRIDGE ST | BRIDLE RD | BOSTON RD | FOG SEAL W/ CRACK SEAL |
| CANTERBURY ST | MIDDLESEX TPK | YALE ST | RECLAMATION |
| FLOYD ST | BOSTON RD | SCHOOL ENTRANCE | MILL AND OVERLAY – 1.5″ |
| GEORGE BROWN ST | SALEM RD | PUMP STA ACCESS RD | DOUBLE MICRO W/ CRACK SEAL |
| GEORGE BROWN ST | PUMP STA ACCESS RD | WHIPPLE RD | MILL AND OVERLAY – 1.5″ |
| HIGH ST | BRIDGE ST | MOUNT PLEASANT | FOG SEAL W/ CRACK SEAL |
| LEXINGTON RD | BOSTON RD | BEDFORD TL | MILL AND OVERLAY – 1.5″ |
| LOWELL ST | COLSON ST | BOSTON RD | MILL AND OVERLAY – 1.5″ |
| MANNING RD | LEXINGTON RD | PAVEMENT CHANGE | MILL AND OVERLAY – 1.5″ |
| MIDDLESEX TPKE | NEAR CONCORD RD | PEARL RD | MILL AND OVERLAY – 1.5″ + REPLACE SWAND CURB |
| MOUNT PLEASANT ST | HIGH ST | ROGERS ST | FOG SEAL W/ CRACK SEAL |
| OAK ST | POND ST | SHELDON ST | FOG SEAL W/ CRACK SEAL |
| ORCHARD RD | MIDDLESEX CC ENT | BEDFORD TL | FOG SEAL W/ CRACK SEAL |
| ROGERS ST | FRANKLIN ST | HIGH ST | FOG SEAL W/ CRACK SEAL |
| SCHOOL HOUSE LN | WYMAN RD | LEXINGTON RD | FOG SEAL W/ CRACK SEAL |
| SHELDON ST | HIGH ST | TEWSBURY TL | FOG SEAL W/ CRACK SEAL |
| TREBLE COVE RD | CHARLES ANNA LN | OLD TREBLE COVE RD | FOG SEAL |
| WATER ST | MICOZZI WAY | MIDDLESEX TPKE | RECLAMATION |
| YALE ST | CANTERBURY ST | MICOZZI WAY | RECLAMATION |
Sewer Contract 37 is located in the Webb Brook and Allen Road neighborhoods. BETA Group is currently designing the sewer for this area, so that we can incorporate a dry sewer main on Allen Road into the Allen Road Reconstruction TIP project. The sewer construction for this area will follow the Town’s master plan for sewerage.
The roads included in this contract area are Allen Road, Battcock Road, Ravine Road, Dell Hollow Road, Sylvan Road, Riverdale Road, Whittemore Terrace, Intervale Road, Marshbrook Road, Devonshire Drive, Scroxton Drive, Arcadia Road, Rural Avenue, Garden Brook Road, Webster Lane, Wentworth Drive, and Winsor Road. A project locus map is shown below.
Flowing Towards Resilience: Climate Change and Hydraulic Capacity of Culverts in Billerica, MA
We’re excited to announce that we have received grant funding for a Culvert Assessment Project! This project aims to enhance our community’s climate resiliency and builds upon the Stormwater Asset Management Project completed in 2022-2023. We will be evaluating culverts (pipes that convey streams across roadways) to determine if the culvert is undersized and cannot handle the stream flow, which can lead to flooding. By assessing our culverts, we can identify areas for improvement and investment, providing safer and more sustainable infrastructure for all residents.
Our own Stormwater Engineer, Christina Papadopoulos, attended the MVP grant announcement by Governor Healey in Leominster on August 1, 2024.
Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $52 Million in Climate Resiliency Funding to Communities
Project Overview
Funding Source: FY2025 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant
Total Budget: $129,500
Timeline: September 2024 – June 2025
This project is intended to evaluate higher-risk culverts within the Town of Billerica. This planning effort will build on the Town’s Stormwater Asset Management Program (AMP), which included an initial condition assessment of Billerica’s 220+ culverts throughout the Town. The results of the 2023 AMP show that some culverts are no longer functioning as designed or are submerged due to high water levels, maintenance issues such as beaver dams or debris, and changing land use and weather patterns that have increased stormwater runoff. This can lead to expedited culvert deterioration, local flooding, and instability of natural stream channels.
This project will provide additional information on submerged and other high priority culverts to evaluate existing culvert condition. (Click here for a map of culverts that were submerged during the AMP culvert assessments.) An analysis will be completed to evaluate and rank consequence of a culvert failure (e.g., failure of a larger culvert in a more heavily trafficked area would affect the community more than a smaller culvert on a rural road) as well as identify areas with high ecological restoration potential. We will also prioritize locations in Town where inland flooding is a regular occurrence. 40 culverts of concern will be selected for further study.
For these 40 culverts, we will use a modeling program to understand which culverts are “undersized” (meaning the culvert restricts natural stream flows, particularly during floods). Additional field investigations will be conducted to assess the condition and characteristics of these culverts and stream conditions. We will utilize a submersible drone to see underwater portions of culverts.
Examples of culverts in Billerica that were submerged during the AMP field assessments.
The Project will create a roadmap with recommendations for the Town to address undersized culverts, culverts located in priority areas, and areas where culvert replacement would provide significant community benefit. We will develop conceptual designs for 5 culverts that should be replaced. Culvert replacement projects are always costly, and this study will help the Town pursue additional grant funding for design and construction.