January 27, 2017: Construction Update

The City provided a presentation on the construction progress to date at a well-attended public meeting at City Hall on 12/1/16.  During the past couple of months, the state contractor ET&L largely completed rebuilding the sections of the granite block retaining walls (which hold the slopes leading up to the adjacent houses and residential property on either side) that were in poor condition north of the High Street underpass.  The contractor still needs to remove the steel pilings that were installed to support the temporary retaining wall, as well as finish chinking the joints of the granite block wall.  In addition, the contractor repaired the end of a stone revetment wall to the west of Joppa Park that had failed and was scouring the shoreline.  The contractor also installed a concrete retaining wall between the Coast Guard Station and some National Grid property.  The contractor has been progressing on building a boardwalk bridge across the small embayment behind the Starboard Galley restaurant, including installing high strength micropiles, abutments and drainage structures.  In addition, the fencing subcontractor has largely completed installing privacy fencing between Harrison Street and Water Street, as well as south of the High Street underpass.  The contractor also relocated a hydrant in the wall of the trail near the City’s Fish Pier and stripped the topsoil from that section of trail in preparation for grading and shaping.  The winter has been mild so far; while crews have been reduced, the contractor has continued to work vs. stopping for the season.  In addition, we met with the Newburyport Art Association regarding installing some murals along the fenced section of trail between Harrison and Water Streets, worked further with volunteers to develop the historical interpretive signage for the trail, and met with sculptors about potential future sculptures for the trail.

Harrison fencing  march's hill spur high st granite wall

national grid substation chestnut st south