Keene Public Works Schedules Road Closures, Paving and Utility Work for Oct. 26-30

Along with the water system work, crews will start sewer and drainage improvements at the Roxbury Street intersection.

Keene, N.H. will see a new round of construction activity this week as crews continue work on Central Square, complete paving on Bartholomew Court and carry out several water, sewer and bridge projects around the city.

The Roxbury Street approach to Central Square is staying shut down through the week while Casella Construction keeps working on water main installation and service hookups in the area. A detour is in place for traffic heading from Roxbury Street toward the Square, sending drivers through Franklin Street and Beaver Street. Work is also set to continue near City Hall, where crews will make additional water service connections, and the newly installed main around Central Square is expected to be filled and pressure-tested early in the week.

Along with the water system work, crews will start sewer and drainage improvements at the Roxbury Street intersection and conduct exploratory digging on Main Street north of Water Street to identify underground utilities. Temporary lane changes and closures are planned on Main Street between Water Street and Central Square on both sides of the roadway.

Parking will also be limited around the project area. Several spaces on the east and west sides of Central Square will be unavailable each day starting at 7 a.m. and will remain closed until the day’s work is finished. Spaces marked with cones or barriers should be considered off-limits, though nearby public lots will stay open. The city says some crews may continue past 5 p.m. if needed to stay on schedule and reopen travel lanes and parking by day’s end.

Another major project gets underway Monday morning on Bartholomew Court, where Bazin Brothers Trucking is scheduled to begin final paving at 7 a.m. The street will be closed during the work, which should last one day. People visiting the Public Works Department are asked to use Keene Ice for parking while the closure is in place. The contractor is also due to finish landscaping, sign installation and cleanup work on Marlboro Street between Eastern Avenue and Main Street.

Elsewhere, George Street remains closed as New England Infrastructure continues utility installation and cleanup near the George Street Bridge. That project is expected to keep moving for about five more weeks before pausing for the winter.

Robin Hood Park is also on the week’s schedule, where Weston & Sampson CMR is set to begin tearing out the existing concrete pool deck as part of the pool renovation effort.

Additional utility work is planned on the city’s south side. Frank Lucius Construction will install water and sewer service near 28 Morin Avenue on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and Morin Avenue will be closed to through traffic for the day. On Wednesday, Oct. 28, Mike Pappas Construction will install a water service on Kelleher Street near Marlboro Street. Traffic will be moved around the work zone, but both directions will remain open, with the job expected to finish that day.

City officials say schedules can shift as work progresses and are urging drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to slow down in active construction areas, follow posted signs and give crews room to work.

Questions about the Central Square project can be directed to project ombudsman George Downing at 603-757-2105 or gdowning@keenenh.gov. Assistant City Engineer Bill Siemer can be reached at 603-352-6550.