The Region

The diesel hammer has finished driving the last pile to bedrock at the Pier 1 location, reducing the noise from the site. Crews have arrived to clean out the piles and remove the spoils from the top 90 feet before the footing can be placed. This clean out operation will continue into next week. Also scheduled for next week, crews will begin construction of the temporary support system for the steel girders that will span from abutment to abutment in the Barrows and Fisher yard near Pier 1.

Due to equipment issues that have since been resolved, pile driving operations are projected to be completed no later than Monday of next week. Once finished, a crew will be onsite to begin cleaning out the piles. This operation will begin next week before the site shuts down for the Thanksgiving Holiday period.

Crews are making good progress driving the 30″ diameter steel pipes to bedrock to serve as the foundation of Pier 1. Nine are to be driven, and it is hoped they will be completed this week. If not, it will continue until completion next week.

Because of the noise, pile driving is only authorized from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Once the ninth pile for Pier 1 is driven to bedrock there will be no more pile driving for this project.

The pile driving frames and platform will be removed next week, and preparations will begin for the arrival of a drill rig the following week. The drill rig will clean out the top 80 feet of each pile so they can be reinforced with concrete and reinforcing steel (rebar).

Crews have finished driving the first of nine 30″ diameter steel pipes to bedrock to serve as the foundation of Pier 1. The distance to bedrock was 150+/- feet.

Pile driving is very loud, so it is only authorized from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It is anticipated to continue through Thanksgiving week. This is the last of the foundation work for this project

Crews have finished removing the foundations of the old tank system at the site where Pier 1 of the new bridge is to be built. A large crane and other equipment and materials have been mobilized to the site. Next week, driving the 30″ diameter steel pipe to bedrock using a diesel hammer, or pile driver, will begin. This very loud pounding is authorized from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and may last from three to five weeks. This is the last of the foundation work for this project

No work is currently scheduled up on the VT 142 corridor.

Backfilling, ditching, and fine grading slopes behind the new curb is complete, and seeding and mulching these areas should be finished this week.

The remaining beam guardrail runs are being installed this week. Related work that is not critical to preparing the road corridor for winter may be done next week, later this Fall as crews are available and the weather allows, or next year.

Recently constructed moment slabs are being cleaned and having waterproofing chemicals applied this week. While work on Pier 1 for the new bridge is getting underway in earnest between the railroad tracks and the Connecticut River, no other work is scheduled for the VT 142 road corridor for the next several weeks, so there will be no need for traffic control.

Installation of granite curb begins Friday, October 6th, and continues into next week. Once installed, crews will back fill and ditch behind it. Fine grading and clean up will continue until complete, with most slopes and the gravel wetland already finished. Seeding and mulching is complete.

Guard rail and fence work remains to be completed before winter, and it may resume at any time as conflicts with other high priority activities wind down. While all the critical tasks for 2023 have been completed on the signals at the intersection where the new bridge will bring VT/NH 119 into VT 142, work may continue there if weather allows.

Crews are finishing the placement of materials and fine grading the wetland detention pond this week. Flaggers are being utilized to stop traffic briefly to allow trucks and equipment to enter and exit wetland and other work areas safely. Installation of granite curbing is planned to begin Wednesday. Once that is done, the ditch lines will be fine graded. Alternating one-way traffic controlled by flaggers, along with a police detail, may be utilized for this work.

Fine grading the new slopes on either side of the road continues. Seeding and mulching of those slopes is set to be completed this week, allowing grass to grow this season. Fine grading of ditches will be done after the granite curbing is installed the first week of October. Fence and guardrail installation is also on hold pending the installation of the curbing.

Moment slab work has been paused to allow this work to be done without congesting the corridor further now that traffic is moving through, and to allow crews to focus on critical tasks that prepare the area for winter.

Placing cap blocks along the South MSE wall has been completed and that area is being cleaned up. Other clean up being done to ready the project for winter includes completing the gravel wetland, cleaning up and around the parking lot at 28 Vernon Street, and working the new slopes on either side of the road. Moment slab work has been paused to allow this work to be done without congesting the corridor further now that traffic is moving through.

The VT 142 paving operation is complete, with 5″ of pavement being placed. Final pavement will be held until the entire project is closer to completion next year. Placement of guard rail, bridge rail and fencing along the northern part of the project was completed this week. Temporary barrier has been placed along the southern portion of the project. Temporary pavement markings have been placed. Fine grading the shoulders, ditch lines and other critical areas, and backing up the pavement edges with crushed stone to eliminate drop-off are also being completed this week.

Vermont Route 142 will open to traffic not later than 6 pm today, Thursday, September 7th, 2023. Ongoing approach work for the new bridge over the CT River for Vermont/New Hampshire Route 119 will require alternating traffic patterns along VT 142 in the future and delays in this area will be encountered off and on until the projected completion of the bridge in 2024.

The VT 142 paving operation is underway today and tomorrow, with 5″ of pavement being placed. Final pavement will be held until the entire project is closer to completion next year. Next week, placement of the bridge rail and fencing along the northern part of the project is scheduled for Tuesday, September 5th. Temporary barrier will be placed along the southern portion of the project. Temporary pavement markings are scheduled for placement on Thursday, September 7th.

VT 142 is scheduled to be opened by the end of the day Friday, September 8th. Detour signs will be taken down and/or covered as a part of the road opening process.

Crews are working hard to prepare the VT 142 corridor for pavement. Frames and grates on drainage structures are being brought up to grade, roadway sand layer has been placed, and the roadway stone layer placement has begun. This placement and fine-grading will continue into next week.

Paving has been scheduled for two days next week beginning on Wednesday, August 30th with approximately 1400 tons of asphalt to be placed in two 2.5″ lifts throughout the roadway.

Due to the significant weather impacts affecting the contractor’s schedule, the closure period of Vermont Route 142 has been extended until the end of the day Friday, September 8th, 2023. The active detours for cars and trucks will remain as configured with Uniformed Traffic Officers present as needed to assist with peak periods of traffic through the high school.

The location of the closure is approximately 1000 feet south of the current intersection of VT 142 and VT/NH 119. Access to both Royal Road from the southern approach and to 28 Vernon Street from the north will be maintained.

The storm water drainage system has been completely installed along the VT 142 corridor. The video inspection of the drainage system is currently in progress with positive results to date. Pending the positive conclusion of the video inspection, the only remaining work on the drainage system will be the full clean out of the system and vertical adjustment of the frames and grates of the structures to meet the final grade of the road.

Work for the traffic signal at the new intersection where Vermont/New Hampshire Route 119 and VT 142 meet has begun with the installation of the conduit and placement of foundations for signal poles and masts. Fiber optic vaults have been set and they will continue to work on installation of ground conduit between the vaults that will run through the Vermont Abutment to New Hampshire. Installation of pedestals for the meters and controller cabinet will take place next week.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES: Removal of the debris from demolished house located within the project limits at 85 Vernon Street is almost complete. The existing foundation will be covered over and blended into the back slope.

All the storm water drainage structures and carrying pipe are in the ground. A few remaining underdrain runs between roadway basins to collect groundwater are still being installed. Video inspection of the closed drainage system will begin next week.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES: The house located within the project limits at 85 Vernon Street has been demolished.

Testing was completed on the waterline installation under the VT 142 corridor this past week. The installation of underdrain and closed drainage work will continue to progress. The embankment elevation will also continue to be brought closer to final grade.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES: The house located within the project limits at 85 Vernon Street is scheduled for demolition as early as Tuesday, August 1st. This work is being coordinated with Brattleboro DPW and the police department.

Work was completed on the waterline installation under the VT 142 corridor this past week. The installation of underdrain and closed drainage work will continue to progress. The embankment elevation will also continue to be brought closer to final grade.