Broadway, Oak Street water main replacement to begin next month

posted on 5/27/2025

A water main on Broadway and Oak Street will be replaced in a project that begins in June, which will improve infrastructure reliability.

The 12-inch water main dating to 1929 will be replaced with a 16-inch cast iron pipe on Broadway from the Florence Street intersection to Oak Street, and on Oak Street from Broadway to Highland Avenue. The project also involves connecting the water main from Highland Avenue to the Garrison Hill water storage tank. In total, 3,000 feet of new water piping will be installed in an area where numerous significant water main breaks have occurred in recent years.

The work is expected to begin in earnest on Monday, June 9, a day after the annual Soap Box Derby on Broadway. Work is anticipated to be completed in early November. Tree-clearing work in preparation for the project may begin before June 9. There will be trees cut in the utility easement on Garrison Hill for water main installation.

The city will provide regular email updates to the public to help plan for any disruptions. To sign up for these updates, visit https://bit.ly/dovernewsletters, and add “Project update: Broadway and Oak water main replacement” to your current email subscription list.

The City Council on April 9 authorized awarding the construction contract to S.U.R. Construction, Inc. of Rochester for $1,457,625, following a competitive bid process.

The project will include at least two nights of overnight work at key locations to minimize water use and traffic disruption. Currently, night work is planned in the areas of Florence Street, Broadway, Pearl Street and Oak Street, though no specific date has been set yet. The overnight work will allow crews to install water valves to isolate work areas. Some of the properties on Oak Street will be connected to a temporary water system to facilitate the project. 

Access to driveways and businesses will be maintained during construction. The contractor will notify property owners in advance if access will be temporarily blocked.

For more information, contact Community Services at 603-516-6450.