Update on the Pepper Street Reconstruction Project 

As I have reported in the past, I share the frustration of residents regarding the delays in the Pepper Street reconstruction project, and involved the Town Attorney to review the matter. As discussed in more detail below, I am pleased to report that the general contractor has revised the project schedule and committed to the project being substantially completed before the end of the calendar year. 

Roughly a year ago, the general contractor experienced significant delays due to pandemic-related supply chain issues coupled with unforeseen conflicts caused by the relocation of utility company equipment and transmission lines in the project area. While some utility work remains, none is expected to preclude the general contractor from a timely completion of the project going forward. 

With the assistance of Town staff, legal team, our onsite project consultant and the Connecticut Department of Transportation, which covers 90% of the project’s costs through state and federal funds, my concerns regarding the progress of the work and our overarching goal to complete the project expeditiously have been clearly communicated to the contractor. That communication included my demand that the general contractor devotes the necessary resources to ensure that the project be substantially completed this calendar year. 

At our most recent meeting last week, the contractor’s president, and his legal counsel, made a clear commitment to devote the resources necessary to substantially complete the project by November of this year. 

This project includes dramatic safety and geometric improvements to improve sightlines, including lowering the roadway in some areas.  The intersection at Main Street will have an upgraded traffic signal installed. Additionally, the drainage improvements go well beyond routine, and include a complete replacement of the culvert at the Jockey Hollow Road intersection.  

I have further demanded that the contractor provide regular updates on the progress of the project in a format that may be clearly communicated to our residents. I will share these progress updates as I receive them while we await the long-overdue completion of this project.

State Funding Approved for Wolfe Park 

The Town will receive $150,000 in bonding from the State of Connecticut for the repairs to the basketball courts at Wolfe Park. The project was approved by the State Bond Commission subsequent to a bonding request I submitted to Senator Marilyn Moore, Chair of the Bonding Committee, who recommended the project to the State Bond Commission. The application was further supported by both State Representative Tony Scott and Senator Kevin Kelly.  

As you will recall, this project was already on the Town’s list of priority projects. Having state funding available to support this project will directly reduce the need for Town bonding. Furthermore, Parks & Recreation Director Missy Orosz recommended that the courts will include line striping for both basketball and pickleball. 

Updates from Eversource

As reported earlier, Eversource reported that while all work necessary to stabilize the Fan Hill Road substation had been completed in March, they would be completely replacing the two source circuits that feed the Monroe Substation as further protection. Eversource has provided updates on the progress of this effort:

- Poles continue to be replaced from the substation going north and equipment is being installed on the new poles.
- Framing, shifting, and hanging of equipment from the Stevenson Dam west towards the boat launch is proceeding.
- Delivery of aerial cable wires is expected to occur in three stages early this September and November, and in January 2023.  As the material arrives, it will be installed as expeditiously as possible.

In addition to this work, Eversource has embarked on a major project to rebuild the existing transmission lines between the Stevenson Substation in Monroe and the Pootatuck Substation in Shelton. Portions were originally built in the 1930s and, due to their age and condition, all existing lattice towers (117 in total) will be replaced with new steel monopoles. The project will also replace the conductor (energized wires) with new, upgraded wire of the same voltage, and the shield wire (top-most wire) with new optical ground wire, designed to improve electric reliability by enabling communications between substations. Eversource has filed with the Connecticut Siting Council with the goal of the project starting in the fourth quarter of 2022 and completion by the end of 2023. More information is available from Eversource at https://tinyurl.com/msz7bkwm.