A Slight Miscalculation

Wildflower/Trilliam Way intersect bottom looking south

The Select Board on Monday night unanimously approved recommending to Town Meeting $3 million in borrowing to complete phase 2 of the Amherst Woods Sewer project.

 Click to enlarge/read

The original guestimate for the entire project was $4.2 million but then our consultant, CDM Smith, seemingly got it down to $3 million, which was approved by Town Meeting in 2011.

But during the final bid process it was discovered that estimate was a tad too optimistic.  By a LOT.

So the actual total cost is now $6 million, hence the need to borrow another $3 million.

The mistake was simply in properly estimating the cost of the work -- which was always really $6 million from the get go -- so it's not like they made a mistake that required costly additional correction work to rectify it.

And they are providing extra services without billing for it as a make good. 

Yes, the town is also using CDM Smith for the roundabout project at E. Pleasant/Triangle Street but DPW Chief Guilford Morring says that it's different set of consultants from another city branch.

 Iduna Lane (right) also on the list

Unlike the design mistake with the $10 million UMass Paradis steam plant that resulted in a total loss

Expensive Puzzle Pieces

Over half DPW equipment is routinely stored outdoors

DPW Chief Guilford Mooring and Weston & Sampson consultants present to Amherst Select Board

The Amherst Select Board was given an informational heads up presentation last night concerning the new DPW facility, which clocks in at 8.5 acres but combines many functions now spread out all over town and with a somewhat startling sticker price of $37 million, but that will go down somewhat after one site is chosen.

   Amherst DPW Equipment List

Current DPW building has no fire suppression sprinkler system

 Giant Arbor Vitaes would be removed for new for Fire Station entrance

Currently the plan is for the new $65+ million Wildwood Mega School to allow Fort River to be abandoned so it can become the new DPW.  The beloved old current DPW "Barn" would be demolished (after a Historical Commission demo delay hearing of course) for a new South Fire Station.

 AFD Central Station is too old and cramped for a modern day Fire Department

And the old downtown Central Station could be used for either the Jones Library expansion or sold to a private developer to become a taxpaying mixed use signature building in the heart of our commercial district.

Fort River Elementary School:  Colorful new location for DPW?

DPW: No Place Like New Home

Current DPW cannot shelter much of their fleet

The long awaited new DPW Facility Planning Study will be presented to the Select Board on Monday night.  Main headline of course will be the $37 million price tag. Ouch!

DPW Chief Guilford Mooring points out this is still a preliminary plan with healthy contingencies built in, so prices should drop as the plan gets closer to breaking ground.

 Fort River School is the preferred site for new DPW

The town is currently in the throes of birthing four major costly building projects:  a new $65 million elementary school, a Jones Library expansion/renovation with published reports as high as $40 million, a new forever talked about South Fire Station which certainly will cost more than the $12 millions Joint Capital Planning Committee has used as a placeholder for years, and this DPW refresh at around $37 million.

The state will reimburse half the School and Library construction costs but even then we're looking at $50 million in town funds.  And there's no state reimbursement for DPW, so now we're up to $87 million; and the Fire Station can't be much cheaper than a DPW facility, so new we're well over $100 million.

Or one-tenth of a billion.  Yeah, that's real money.

If And When You Rebuild It

Amherst:  27.7 square miles, 133 miles of roadway

The Select Board, keepers of the public way, received a technical briefing from the Department of Public Works last night and the take away was pretty sobering.  To repair all the roads in town this  year would cost almost $30 million.

But the current plan is to spend only $1.5 million this year and another $2.2 million over the next four years.  Or a total of just under $4 million over five years.  The state will do Belchertown Road (Rt9) to the tune of $1.8 million in 2019.

 Pavement Condition Index (1-100) higher number is better

Thus bringing the total backlog down to "only" $22.5 million or so.  Except of course for the additional repair work that will be generated by normal wear and tear over the next five years.

 Consultant (StreetScan)  used hi tech van with ground penetrating radar, microphones, cameras to scan roads

The Select Board also voted to approve a roundabout for Triangle/East Pleasant Street that will certainly be well over $1 million to construct but DPW Chief Guilford Mooring ducked the question about financing the project.

And it was also pointed out that North Amherst Village Center intersection will simultaneously be fighting for funding as well.


Who would have thought pavement could generate such excitement?

 Did your road make the list?

Stop! In the Name Of Common Sense

Valley View Drive intersects directly with South East Street

Acting as "keepers of the public way" the Amherst Select Board will vote tonight to install a stop sign at the intersection of Valley View Drive and South East Street, a 4.4 mile "scenic byway" that connects Main Street to Bay road.

That was just one recommendation that came out of a recent traffic study done by CDM Smith, costing $7,800, that found speeding was a concern, so an additional three speed limit signs, costing $1,700 total, will also be installed.

Interestingly a corresponding increase in accident rates was not uncovered as the problem area of South East Street had a 2.45 MVM (Million Vehicle Miles traveled) accident rate vs state average of 3.74 for this type of roadway.

DPW will hold off on adding a Yield sign near Stop sign in front of South Congregational Church in favor of an intersection redesign somewhere down the road

I'll Be (another) Roundabout

Triangle/E. Pleasant intersection (underlined island will go away)

Green indicates proposed grassy area, maroon indicates concrete pavers and/or brick

DPW Chief Guilford Mooring brought the latest plans for the roundabout at Triangle and East Pleasant Street near the new Kendrick Place mixed use building to the Public Works Committee on Thursday night.

This would make the 9th time it has appeared on their agenda over the past two years.

 Public Works Committee meeting (1/14/16)

PWC audience

Major tweaks include a new system of (5) crosswalks that avoid going through the center of the roundabout, removal of a small island over on the side closest to UMass so a "slip lane" can allow for PVTA buses and trucks to make the turn.  It also allows for the sidewalk to be brought down from the current top of a steep hill to grade level.

 Sidewalk on left will be brought down to street level (tree and island in center will go)

A half dozen citizens -- mostly neighbors -- showed up to voice their concerns, which seemed to center on pedestrian safety.  Both Mooring and PWC Chair Christine Gray-Mullen pointed out that roundabouts are safer than signalized intersections.

Vince O'Connor was also concerned about the space provided in the roundabout for a car to stop for pedestrians and he would like it large enough to accommodate a PVTA bus.  Mr. O'Connor was also concerned about dedicated bike lanes all the way through the roundabout.

Mooring pointed out that cyclists could simply act as regular vehicles in the roundabout or use "chicken lanes" i.e. the sidewalks.

The PWC recommended the crosswalk in front of Kendrick Place be moved about 20 feet into the middle of the slip lane, halfway between E. Pleasant and Triangle Street. 

The PWC will vote their recommendation to the Select Board at their next meeting in February, and if all goes well construction could start in the upcoming construction season.

 UMass Eastman Lane/N. Pleasant roundabout is considered a great success

I'll Drink To That

Hills Reservoir, Pelham

Amherst Town Meeting will be asked to spend $170,500 (if a matching state grant is approved) from the water/sewer fund to purchase 141 acres of woodland in Pelham owned by Bob Romer for protection of our drinking water supply.

The land, aka Romer Woods, is currently appraised at $455,000 -- mainly because two house lots could be carved out of it.  The land is currently in the state's Chapter 61 program with numerous unmarked trails throughout.

Assistant Town Manager Dave Ziomek told the Water Supply Protection Committee last week that Mr. Romer is a "very willing seller who wants the property protected."

And even with the tax break Mr. Romer will get for allowing the town a steep discount, it still would not make up for the $105,000 he is taking off the appraised value.

Hills Reservoir is one of seven bodies of water Amherst uses for its drinking supply.   The town currently has 2,662 acres of land set aside as "watershed protection" and of that 1,537 acres are in Pelham. 

Build, Baby, Build

Amherst Carriage Shops, AKA One East Pleasant Street, coming soon!

The August 12 Summary Judgement slapdown to the lawsuit against One East Pleasant filed by abutter/competitor Joel Greenbaum and paid for by dozens of fellow NIMBYs has NOT been appealed to the Massachusetts Appeals Court, where a panel of three judges would review the trial Court's decision; therefor the lawsuit is dead, Dead, DEAD.

   One East Pleasant, Amherst by Larry Kelley

Developer Kyle Wilson said yesterday the first order of business will be hazardous waste abatement in the former downtown hotel turned commercial strip mall, as any building constructed over fifty years ago has asbestos.  Then comes the demolition.

The Carriage Inn was very successful in the early years but fell victim to increased competition for the lucrative academic market from the University Lodge just down the road and the tax exempt Campus Center Hotel.

 

Amherst Carriage Inn circa 1960 

Meanwhile Archipelago's other nearby five-story, mixed-used building, Kendrick Place, is now over 75% occupied and thus far no major problems to report with either rowdy late night partying or a parking Armageddon.

 Kendrick Place 1st weekend of occupancy

At last week's Public Works Committee meeting DPW Chief Guilford Mooring presented up to date plans for the roundabout in front of Kendrick Place.

The curbline immediately in front of Kendrick leading onto Triangle Street will be pushed further north into the intersection to improve traffic flow and all allow better streetscape infrastructure (grass,lighting, benches, trees, etc)  if the town goes with a roundabout.

 Curbline (circled) will move northward a few feet

During the public comment period the PWC heard John Fox request an underground tunnel for the intersection whether it becomes a roundabout or not, citing safety concerns over students commuting to UMass.

 DPW Chief Guilford Mooring assuring Jeff Brown none of his commercial property is needed for roundabout

This of course would probably double the cost of the intersection, and the PWC has already gone on record at their 7/10/14 meeting saying they unanimously support a roundabout -- but only if it is constructed without any town funds.

 Most up to date intersection plan (roundabout)

Although Public Works Committee Chair Christine Gray-Mullen did say the previous recommendation was made over a year ago when the town was in a far different financial situation with road repairs.

Her Committee will continue discussion of the roundabout at their October 15 meeting and will take another vote on a intersection recommendation at that meeting or the following one.

The town is trying to incorporate some of the intersection work using the $1.5 million MassWorks project money already in hand.  The relocation of those ugly above-ground utility poles to an underground location is expected to start soon.

   Amherst NIMBY Court Case

Let The Sunshine, Let The Sunshine In

Newer 56 acre closed line-landfill Belchertown Road

Yes Amherst is having yet another public meeting on locating solar power within the confines of our 27.7 square miles of altered reality.

The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday night at the Amherst Regional Middle School auditorium, ironically enough the scene of a major defeat for NIMBY/BANANAs when Town Meeting voted overwhelmingly to support solar on ye old landfill.

Ye old closed 53 acre unlined-landfill also on Belchertown Road just across the street

As usual the NIMBY/BANANAs will probably be out in force with lots of ideas where not to locate a solar array (anywhere within their sight line or territory for walking the dog).

 Downtown has a tiny bit of solar

And considering their victory over the Town Manger on the old landfill proposed site -- after the town spent $60,000 creating a legal contract with a provider -- it's safe to assume residents anywhere near newly proposed sites will use the same obstructionist strategy.

 One woman lobby picketing Town Meeting 5/11/15

The newer closed landfill will not necessarily be immune from immediate neighbors:  Back in 2002 residents of Logtown Road successfully torpedoed the town's attempt to increase the height of the landfill by 10 feet to keep it open longer (and generate tons of revenue).

The Zoning Board of Appeals rejected the idea by a 2 (yes)-1 (no) vote.  The Special Permit required a unanimous vote.

Solar array among the fertile fields of Hadley just over the town line

But Will The Residents Complain?

 West Cemetery:  The most historic/sacred ground in Amherst

The Agricultural Commission was receptive to DPW Division Director of Trees & Grounds Alan Snow's  proposal to allow sheep grazing in town cemeteries, an all natural way of keeping the green green grass at an acceptable height.

Ideally the town would use a mix of sheep and goats, since the latter "browse" and would consume weeds, shrubs and invasive species.

 Our Civil War dead are buried in West Cemetery

The proposal is still very much in the preliminary stages.  The next step is to seek permission of the Historical Commission.  Snow believes there may be grant money available to help pay for the experiment, and if all goes well the critters could be munching away next spring.

This section of West Cemetery kept in a more "natural" state

Historic West Cemetery, where the older area is already kept in a more "natural" condition  (cut only once per year) is envisioned as a test site.

Don't worry, the critters would not be given a key to the Dickinson family plot.

Emily Dickinson, "The Belle of Amherst," 2nd from left

You Can't Get There From Here

You may have noticed all those bright yellow additions appearing on our regular street signs that almost resemble stickers, informing drivers not to come sightseeing unless they have a good reason.

Maybe it's part of being a "green community," reducing the extra gas consumed when a lost vehicle goes down the wrong street, or just an easy way to keep the peace in neighborhoods where some folks don't like lost vehicles using their driveway to turn around.

DPW Chief Guilford Mooring reports the signs come with no additional cost to taxpayers because the new "No Outlet" is simply added to the routine design and then used whenever a street sign is replaced.

A sign replacement costs the town $250.  So in case you ever wondered why the (infamous) Hobart Lane street sign is twice as high up as a regular sign ...

Hobart Lane (also a "no outlet" street)

Water Water Everywhere

Pelham Reservoir owned by Town of Amherst (so don't mess with it)

The reawakening of Baby Carriage water treatment plant combined with the firing up of Well #4 is one sure sign the summer has turned a corner and we are now streaking towards the students return to reawaken our sleepy little college town.

Scenic  Baby Carriage Treatment Plant, South East Street

I'll let DPW Chief Guilford Mooring do the explaining:

The issue is not that the reservoir is low but that in the late summer demand goes up (Students come back) and the weather becomes more violent. Because the Pelham reservoirs are so small (sometimes because they are lower) the late afternoon summer storms stir up the water quite a bit. The warmer and “flasher” the water the harder it is to treat. So to avoid this issue we switch to well 4. Well 4 has a high output but is high in iron and manganese, so it must be treated, thus the Baby Carriage treatment plant must be operating. It is harder to start a treatment plant than one of the other wells so by starting Baby Carriage now and keeping Atkins online we then can adjust the flow of the other wells to meet the increase in demand as the population increases. Well 4 and baby carriage will stay on into the fall when weather patterns change and the cool temps make the Pelham Reservoirs easier to treat. So long story short, this is just our normal routine that allows us to ensure we have enough water for the population.

Of course all of us townies remember the year 1980 when the water ran dry only days after UMass opened and all the students had to be sent home. Yikes!

New Digs

DPW aka "The Barn"

The new DPW building, a possible $20 million project, is moving along faster than sludge in a sewer line.

Consultants Weston & Sampson were recently chosen out of 7 who applied for the $52,000 contract to help ascertain needs for the new building.   Their report is expected to be completed in two months, in time for Fall Town Meeting.

 Central Fire Station built 1929, when FD equipment was a lot smaller than today

The new Fire Station, also a possible $20 million project, is closely tied to the DPW project because that could become the location for the desperately needed new station.  Kind of like living in a family of many siblings and having to wait for the bathroom in the morning.

And since they don't call it "Central" for nothing, FD's current location -- within spitting distance of the Jones Library and CVS parking lot where a new garage is contemplated -- could be instantly put to good use either by the private or public sector.

The town is simultaneously pursuing two other major capital projects, the Wildwood School renovation and the Jones Library expansion/renovation.  Those two projects have the benefit of state funding, 50% for the Library and almost two-third reimbursement for the school project.

According to Finance Director Sandy Pooler the report from the consultants before summer's end will set the stage for the floodgates to open.

But then, how fast does sludge really move?

 Farm across the street from DPW, anticipating loss of 50' row of arborvitae, planted new trees

Public Private Partnership

Hampshire College this morning

Yes, that is our Department of Public Works doing construction on private property.

They are building Hampshire College a driveway that will connect the parking lot over on the left with West Street (Rt 116) below.

The construction at top of photo does not involve our DPW.  It's the new super efficient Hitchcock Center building, but it does look like it will share the new road being installed by the DPW.

 Although the town is getting plenty of loam out of the deal

This is part of a deal made a few years ago relating to the Atkins Corner double roundabouts where the town needed to take some property from Hampshire College and offered construction services instead of cash.

 Atkins Corner $6 million double roundabout project. Atkins Market top right

Why didn't the state simply pay Hampshire College for the property in the first place since the $6 million Atkins Corner project was a Department Of Transportation project?

They would have except the town "took over" Rt 116 from Atkins up to town center because they did not like they way the state was going to re widen along the  Pomeroy Lane/West Street Village Center.

This also means our DPW has to plow this stretch of road in the winter.

As some of you may remember Hampshire College refused to allow a detour through their campus during the Atkins Corner construction, a project that almost led to the demise of Atkins Country Market.

Hampshire College pays the town nothing for Amherst Fire Department emergency service runs which average close to Amherst College, who pays $90,000 annually.   UMass also pays $450,000 annually.

In reality none of the institutes of higher education pay their fair share.   But certainly anything is better than nothing.

At least the roundabouts work