Court Street emergency sewer replacement pending City Council approval
Earlier this year, engineers found a section of the sanitary sewer system on Court Street that failed and needs emergency replacement.
To that end, the city put out a bid for emergency sanitary sewer replacement in early April. The project would replace about 1,200 linear feet of sewer pipe, installing the new sewer line above the existing collapsed line, which is 20 feet deep in some areas.
This sewer work was deemed urgent and is not tied to the larger reconstruction project for Court Street. That project is scheduled to go out to bid later this summer, and the reconstruction work might not commence until the spring of 2024. The current collapse of the sewer line risks potential back-ups if not addressed soon.
At its May 24, 2023 meeting, the City Council will consider the resolution authorizing the city to contract with D&C Construction of Weymouth, Massachusetts, to complete the sewer work at a cost not to exceed $202,100. The resolution and supporting information are included with the City Council's agenda materials, available here.
Reconstruction design plans nearing completion
Neighborhood meeting to be scheduled in late spring/early summer 2023
Since the last summer, design-engineering consultant, Wright-Pierce, has continued to make progress on the reconstruction project, which incorporates feedback from the July 2022 public meeting, public poll results, and comments from city staff. City staff expects to receive the 90% design plans in the coming weeks and will schedule a second Public Meeting to present the plans to residents ahead of completing the 100% design and bid documents.
Concept Plans
Engineers have created concept plans for the Court Street and Union Street project.
Court Street Option #1: Bicycle lanes without on-street parking
Court Street Option #2: Shared Lane Markings ("Sharrows") with on street-parking
Note: Shared lane markings, or sharrows, are painted in travel lanes where bicycles and cars share the roads. The markings remind motorists to expect to see bicyclists and remind bicyclists where to ride on the road. The placement of the sharrows in the lane keeps cyclists from riding too close to parked cars, where car doors may open unexpectedly.
Union Street Concept
About the Project
The City of Dover has targeted Court Street and Union Street for street reconstruction to upgrade underground utilities and address drainage concerns and roadway/sidewalk conditions. The city has been planning for the project through six-year Capital Improvements Program the City Council adopts each fall.
The reconstruction project will follow the City of Dover's Complete Streets and Traffic Calming Guidelines, including extending Court Street's sidewalk from South Pine Street to Hubbard Road. Engineers will also evaluate the intersection of Back Road/Court Street/Middle Road to identify opportunities to increase motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians' safety.
Survey work began in Summer 2021 and has included geotechnical borings to investigate subsurface conditions within the project area, video inspection of the existing stormwater drain, sewer main and sewer services and creating a base survey. The goal is to have engineer design plans developed through the year with construction to begin in 2023.
Email updates
As the project develops, the City of Dover plans regular email updates to help residents and business plans for the construction disruption. To sign-up for these updates, visit https://bit.ly/dovernewsletters, add “Project update: Court Street and Union Street Reconstruction” to your current email subscription list.
Recent email updates: