FRIDAY, SEPT. 3, 2021
Latest updates:

Work to upgrade critical water infrastructure along Central Avenue from Abbey Sawyer Memorial Drive to Glenwood Avenue ramps up next week.
 
Work planned from Tuesday, Sept. 7, through Friday, Sept. 10 includes:
 
  • Installing a temporary water main across Central Avenue at Old Rollinsford Road to feed two Central Avenue properties. The goal is to maintain both directions of Central Avenue traffic, but there may be short durations of alternating traffic.

  • Excavation of water valve pits on Lowell Avenue, requiring the closure of Lowell Avenue from Central Avenue to Mount Vernon Street.
 
The contractor plans night work beginning Sunday, Sept. 12 through Friday, Sept. 17, to install new water main piping through the Lowell Avenue and Central Avenue intersection, and continue south on Central Avenue towards Old Rollinsford Road. The week of Sept. 20, the contractor plans to return to daytime work.
Project overview
The Central Avenue North Water Improvements Project replaces two sections of water mains. One is a 133-year-old 14-inch water main from Lowell Avenue to Abbey Sawyer Memorial Drive, a critical piece of the City of Dover’s water system infrastructure. The other is an undersized six-inch water main from Glenwood Avenue to Lowell Avenue installed in 1927. Both mains will be replaced with 16-inch ductile iron pipes that are expected to last the next 100-150 years. The project will significantly improve reliability and fire flow capacity. The improvements will also provide better interconnection between the City’s two pressure zones, increasing the water system’s reliability throughout the City.

The project is anticipated to be substantially complete by mid to late December, weather permitting. A complete street paving overlay will occur next spring.

After a competitive bid process, the City Council awarded the construction contract to N. Granese & Sons, Inc. of Salem, Massachusetts, the same contractor as the Washington and Main Water Improvements Project that is nearing completion.

The project is expected to create traffic backups in and near the project area. Residents and businesses in the construction area with questions or concerns should contact Deputy Community Services Director Bill Boulanger at b.boulanger@dover.nh.gov or 516-6450. Boulanger is the project manager.

The City of Dover will provide frequent email updates about the project to help residents and businesses plan for disruption along Central Avenue. To sign-up for these updates, visit https://bit.ly/dovernewsletters, add “Project update: Central Avenue North Water Improvements Project” to your current email subscription list.
The above map shows the project area for the replacement of the water main along Central Avenue from Glennwood Avenue to Abbey Sawyer Memorial Drive, the entrance to Garrison Hill.