Town Council - Public Works Committee

MEMBERS Braintree Town Council Charles Ryan, Chairman Lawrence Mackin, Vice Chairman Committee On The Department of Public Works Julia Flaherty, member One JFK Memorial Drive Braintree, Massachusetts 02184 August 3, 2021 MINUTES A meeting of the Committee on the Department of Public Works was held in Johnson Chambers, Braintree Town Hall, on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 at 7:00p.m. There was a moment of silence for all those serving in our armed services, past and present, and the meeting was opened with the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Councilor Charles Ryan, Chairman was in the Chair. Clerk of the Council, Susan Cimino conducted the roll call. Present: Charles Ryan, Chairman Lawrence Mackin, Vice-Chairman Julia Flaherty, member Also Present: James Arsenault, DPW Director John Thompson, Assistant DPW Director/Town Engineer Mary Mulroney, National Grid Representative APPROVAL OF MINUTES • June 15, 2021 Motion: by Councilor Mackin to Approve the Minutes of June 15, 2021 Second: by Councilor Flaherty Vote: For (3 – Flaherty, Mackin, Ryan), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (0) OLD BUSINESS • None August 3, 2021 Department of Public Works Page 1 of 3 NEW BUSINESS • 21 035 National Grid Petition: Arnold Street or take up any action relative thereto Chairman Ryan stated we have a recommendation from the DPW stating Arnold Street is not under moratorium. The Engineering Division was planning on completing a sidewalk reconstruction project, along with a subsequent resurfacing of the roadway for the 2021 construction season. The recommendation is that the petition be granted as soon as possible. Motion was read by Councilor Mackin for favorable recommendation to the full Council with Staff Recommendations: MOTION: Relay approximately 275 feet of 2-inch coated steel (1956) gas main, approximately 635 feet of 2- inch bare steel (1947) gas main, and approximately 290 feet of 1.5 inch bare steel (1949) gas main in Arnold Street from Middle St. to #66 Arnold St. with 1400 feet of 2-inch plastic gas main and abandon same limit with the following staff recommendations: BELD: BELD has No conflicts on this road DPW: The DPW has reviewed the subject petition and the accompanying sketch for the new gas main location and have the following recommendations: Arnold Street is not under the moratorium. The street was last resurfaced by overlay in 2003. The Engineering Division was planning on completing a sidewalk reconstruction project, along with a subsequent resurfacing of the roadway for the 2021 construction season. Work to install a new sidewalk along this section of Arnold Street is already underway. We would recommend that the petition be granted as soon as possible so that the gas main replacement can be completed ahead of the Town’s planned resurfacing work. Given the late nature of National Grid’s request, and given that the Town’s reconstruction project has already started, the Engineering Division is also recommending the following: - The petition should be granted conditionally upon National Grid’s ability to begin work immediately following Council approval, so that the Town can still resurface the roadway before the end of the 2021 calendar year construction season - National Grid shall guarantee that all excavated trenches within the town’s right-of-way are backfilled to attain a minimum of 95% compaction, to ensure that the excavated areas will not settle once the roadway and sidewalks are resurfaced in the fall. Should the newly paved roadway and/or sidewalk settle because of poorly compacted trenches, National Grid will be required to perform large scale, curb-to-curb repairs to fully mitigate any deficiencies We also recommend that the following requirements be added to the permit, if it is to be granted: - National Grid must arrange a pre-construction meeting with Braintree DPW, Braintree Police and BELD prior to any excavation to discuss utility corridor assignment and traffic management for the project. August 3, 2021 Department of Public Works Page 2 of 3 - Neither National Grid nor any of its contractors is authorized to close any street or to close a direction of travel to facilitate their work without authorization from the Director of the Department of Public Works or the Highway Superintendent. The Chief of Police can also authorize a closure for a police or fire emergency. Construction zone traffic safety issues are to be addressed by using appropriate traffic control signs and devices and the use of police officers for traffic control to safely guide traffic through the work zone. If a closure is authorized by the DPW, it shall not be implemented until signs and police officers (where needed) are properly in place in conformity with the written plan prepared by the contractor’s engineer and approved by the DPW and Police Department.” Motion: by Councilor Mackin to Approve Order 21 035 Second: by Councilor Flaherty Vote: For (3 – Flaherty, Mackin, Ryan), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (0) It was unanimously voted to adjourn the meeting at 7:21p.m. Respectfully submitted, Susan M. Cimino Clerk of the Council Documents provided for Meeting • Minutes of June 15, 2021 • 21 035 National Grid Petition: Arnold Street or take up any action relative thereto August 3, 2021 Department of Public Works Page 3 of 3