Department of Public Works

Route 126/ Pond Street Revitalization Project & Downtown Revitalization Project 

Update Spring 2025

Due to utility work which includes removing the old utility poles and a redesign of the retaining wall near Spyglass Hill Drive, the Contractor is not expected to remobilize and continue with the project until late May or June.  Hopefully the project will be completed by Thanksgiving. 

The following is a list of the items that need to be completed:

• Remove old utility poles
• Retaining Wall
• Algonquin Trail entrance way
• Sidewalks and Curbing
• Culvert upgrade near Honey Dew
• Final Pave
• Plantings / Landscaping
• A few more street lights
• Crosswalks
• Street Signs

Road Closure / Night Work (Culvert)

We do not have the exact date yet.  Sometime during the summer months, Pond Street will need to be temporarily closed and the traffic will need to be detoured in order to upgrade the culvert located near Honey Dew.  Hopefully it will only be for two or three days (and nights).  And it will occur on a weekend.  

Downtown Revitalization Project Update

Phase One:  Complete

Phase Two (A):  Installing the conduit (pipe) from the street to the buildings.  

The majority of the Phase Two (A) has been completed.  

Phase Two (B):  Installing the utility cables from the street to the buildings through the new conduit.

The Contract for Phase Two (B) has been awarded to Dagle Electric, Inc.  Dagle is in the process of submitting the shop drawings, ordering the components, acquiring the work order permit numbers from Eversource Electric among other things.  This phase should be completed reasonably quick as long as they can get the supplies and the utility companies come through for us.  

When will the utility poles be removed?  

Disclaimer:  I am not an expert on utility work.  Here's my best guess on how this will go down.

There are approximately 40 buildings and (or) houses that will get power, cable, and (or) fiber fed underground from the street.  After the power lines, cable and fiber work is connected from the street to the buildings/houses, Eversource Electric (EE) will make the final underground connection.  

After all of the connections are completed, each utility company will be required to remove the overhead wires from the utility poles.  Once all of the wires have been removed, the utility poles will be removed.  The Town will need to hire a contractor to remove all of the utility poles from what I understand.

Roadway Paving

The following streets will be resurfaced in the Spring of 2025

1. Spyglass Hill Drive
2. South Street
3. Spring Street
4. Olive Street (portion from Spring Street to Hopkinton TL)
5. Howe Street (portion near the Hopkinton Reservoir.

Update:  5/1/25

The roadwork has started.  

Contact the DPW

If you have any questions or concerns, please send an email to dpw@ashlandmass.com.