FRIDAY, OCT. 15, 2021
Central Avenue water improvements contractor to work until sunset tonight, will pave Saturday

Contractor to continue extended hours next few weeks
 
The Central Avenue North Water Improvements Project contractor plans to work until dark tonight, Oct. 15. It has also pushed paving operations to tomorrow, Oct. 16, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
 
This week's work extension is to make up for time lost after the contractor struck an unmarked gas line on Thursday, Oct. 14, which caused a temporary halt to all construction activities.
 
Next week, the contractor will begin work near the intersection of Abbey Sawyer Memorial Drive and work towards Lowell Avenue. It will continue extended work hours 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday for paving. It is anticipated that Old Rollinsford Road will be closed for one day next week to allow construction activities. As of now, the Old Rollinsford Road closure is estimated to occur on Wednesday, Oct. 20; however, the day may change depending on conditions on the ground.

Old Rollinsford Road traffic will be diverted via the Wentworth-Douglass Hospital emergency room entrance when the closure occurs.
 
Southbound Central Avenue detour in effect next week
 
The previous southbound Central Avenue detour will be in effect next week, beginning Monday, Oct. 18. Southbound Central Avenue traffic will again be diverted around the project area via Lowell Avenue, Mount Vernon Street and Ash Street. Northbound Central Avenue traffic will continue through the work area. The detour is anticipated to remain during work hours for the next two weeks. See a map of the detour below. 

For more information, contact Community Services at 603-516-6450.
The blue mark on the map will be next week's work area. Central Avenue is marked in yellow. Northbound Central Avenue traffic will travel through the construction zone, while southbound Central Avenue traffic will be detoured around the project via Lowell Avenue, Mount Vernon Street and Ash Street, marked in green above. 
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.

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 provides 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.