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CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE REPORT TO 2016 ATM
<br />for restoration: residential, CBD, and non -CBD business; and, further, that requests for entirely new or
<br />extended sidewalks would be presented separately than requests for restoration.
<br />The new Prospect Hill sidewalk that was an FY2016 authorization is currently under design. The FY2017
<br />sidewalk - funding request will allow the completion of residential projects outside the CBD, chosen
<br />through cooperation between the SAC and the DPW. FY2017 requests for sidewalk work can be found in
<br />Article 10(a, h, k, & 1).
<br />Town -wide Signal Improvements
<br />Many of the Town signals are outdated, with sometimes failing equipment, and limited ADA
<br />accessibility. An Engineering Division study, funded with Traffic Mitigation funds, using signalized level
<br />of service (LOS) has identified and prioritized those locations in need of improvement, after assessment
<br />of conditions, signal timing, delays, ADA requirements, etc. The study also recommended that the Town
<br />adopt a Standard Specification that would allow for cost and maintenance efficiencies. [Note: The study
<br />did not include the signals which are under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Department of
<br />Transportation, including, but not limited to: Bedford Street at Hartwell Avenue, Lowell Street at
<br />Waltham Street, Marrett Road at Spring Street, and Hayden Avenue at Route 2.] The FY2017 funding
<br />request is in Article 10(j).
<br />Water Distribution System
<br />Many of the Town's water mains were installed in the early 1900s and require an ongoing engineering
<br />program plan of pipe cleaning, lining, or replacement. On an annual basis, the DPW implements work for
<br />cleaning, lining, and/or replacement of unlined, inadequate, aged, and breaking water mains to improve
<br />water quality, pressure, and fire- protection capabilities, and to reduce frequency and severity of
<br />water -main breaks, as well as to minimize long lengths of pipe not fed at both ends, known as "dead
<br />ends ". This work often requires excavation prior to pipe condition analysis. Work continues to replace
<br />remaining unlined pipes, of which 5% or 7 linear miles presently fall in to this category. Following this,
<br />work will then focus on replacing aging mains or those with a higher -break history. Using some of the
<br />funding authorized in FY2016, engineering will be undertaking an analysis of the entire distribution
<br />network in order to prioritize work for the next phase of the improvement plan. The Request for Proposal
<br />for this analysis work is under development.
<br />This analysis work will allow the Engineering Division to continue its best practices in the documentation
<br />of the materials, age, and break history of the Town's water mains and to use that information as well as
<br />ongoing material sampling (when appropriate) to determine its engineering
<br />replacement- and - rehabilitation plan. Some of the "out- year" funding in the capital plan is still
<br />approximate due to the difficulty of actual testing in a working water system, unlike roads which can be
<br />analyzed visually and with easily accessible samples; water systems require more complex exploratory
<br />testing by excavation, when and where possible. In some instances work scope cannot be completely
<br />developed until preliminary exploratory work on actual site conditions has been performed. At the
<br />November 2, 2015, Special Town Meeting #2, $2.5 million dollars was authorized for the Massachusetts
<br />Avenue from Pleasant Street through Marrett Road and Massachusetts Avenue at Woburn Street
<br />intersection work. (Due to that funding authorization, no funds are to be requested for Water Main
<br />improvements at the 2016 ATM.) The Prospect Hill water -mains improvement work that was funded with
<br />prior authorizations is now completed.
<br />Heavy equipment and trucks used by the Water Division to maintain the system are procured with Water
<br />Enterprise funds that are funded directly by Water -rate payers. Where equipment is shared with the Sewer
<br />Division, the costs are shared. (See Article 10(b)).
<br />Hydrant System
<br />The FY2017 funding for hydrant replacement is evenly divided between Tax Levy funds and the
<br />Water - Enterprise Fund. This Committee continues to encourage replacement at an accelerated rate and
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