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The City of Essex Junction has announced three construction projects aimed at improving traffic flow in the Five Corners, flood resiliency, and the reliability and safety of one of the City’s key water mains. The Crescent Connector Project Phase 2, the Brickyard Culvert Replacement Project, and the Main Street Waterline Replacement Project will each begin over the next few months and continue throughout the 2023 construction season.
The second phase of the Crescent Connector Project will consist of constructing a new roadway connecting Park Street to Maple Street and a full-depth reconstruction of Railroad Street. Work will begin on May 15, 2023, with the preparation of the site with construction limit fencing and signage. Construction will begin in earnest on May 22, 2023, on Park Street. This project will impact Park Street, Main Street, and Maple Street at various times throughout the course of the construction. Moveable message boards will warn of street and lane closures. It will also include the installation of new traffic signals at Park Street and Maple Street. The project will include bike lanes and new sidewalks, and the entire route will have new street lights installed. Phase 1 of this project, which focused on railroad crossing improvements within the City core in 2022, is now complete. Both phases of this project have been in development for the past 12 years, and the construction of Phase 2 will complete this long-term project. The estimated completion date of this project is November 2024.
"Traffic congestion at the Five Corners, pedestrian access, and accommodations for bicyclists have been a major concern for our residents and visitors, and we hope that with the completion of the Crescent Connector, these issues can be improved," said City Manager Regina Mahony.
The Brickyard Road Culvert Replacement Project will include the replacement of twin corrugate metal culverts with a concrete box culvert, as was done on Densmore Drive in 2021 and 2022, and the relocation of a waterline. This project will begin with one-lane alternating traffic on Brickyard Road on June 5, 2023. Beginning June 19, 2023, Brickyard Road will be closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic between Mansfield Avenue and Densmore Drive until this project’s completion date, estimated to be September 1, 2023. Detour signs will be installed to identify routes around the closed portion of the road.
The final project is the Main Street Waterline Replacement Project. This project will begin in late June to early July and will impact Main Street with one-lane alternating traffic. It will include the replacement of the existing municipal waterline along the east side of Main Street from north of the Indian Brook bridge crossing to the existing water tank connection adjacent to the booster pump station located along Turnberry Ridge. The estimated completion date of this project is November 2023.
"These projects are just one step in our ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure in our City," said Mahony. "We recognize that these projects will also cause some inconvenience, but we ask for your patience and cooperation as we work to improve our City's roads and infrastructure.
The City is taking all necessary measures to minimize disruption to traffic and businesses in the affected areas. Construction schedules may vary during this time and will be determined by the weather. Residents or businesses interested in receiving daily emails on the progress of the Crescent Connector Phase 2 Project can subscribe to the mailing list by emailing Rick Hamlin at crescentconnectorphase2@dlhce.com. Daily emails will also be available for the Main Street Waterline Replacement Project. Residents or businesses interested in receiving daily emails on the progress of the Main Street Waterline Replacement Project can subscribe to the mailing list by emailing Jeffrey P. Kershner, P.E., at mainstreetwaterline@dlhce.com. Residents can also find updates and maps on these three projects on the City’s Road Construction webpage. Residents or businesses with questions concerning the Crescent Connector Phase 2 Project should contact Rick Hamlin at rhamlin@dlhce.com. For questions concerning the Brickyard Road Culvert Replacement Project or the Main Street Waterline Replacement Project, residents or businesses should contact Jeffrey P. Kershner, P.E., at jkershner@dlhce.com.