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TOWN OF LEXINGTON 25 Both hurricanes struck Lexington with full fury and upset the planning of the Public Works Department and as a result some of the 1954 projects will have to be carried over to 1955. In times of stress such as these the stamina of a town is strained and the true worth of the people is shown. Never did a town show to better advantage than during and after these hurricanes. To point out any one person or group as being outstanding would be impossible. It was all Lexington at work repairing the damage and getting back to normal. Police, Fire, Public Works employees, together with the Civil Defense group, as well as hundreds of indi- viduals all worked together so that by midnight.of the day Hurricane Carol struck so savagely it was possible to get through almost every street and the Fire Department could reach every house. It was a stupendous job done quickly and well. Cleaning up got under way the next day and although the town now is apparently in good condition, the effects and expense of repairs and replace- ments will be spread over several years. Problems Facing the Town Sewers A. As more houses are constructed, the sewer problem becomes increasingly acute. By the time streets and houses are corn- pleted in a development there is far less land area to absorb the sewage and suddenly there is a definite health menace. It is not easy to plan correctly as to how soon a sewer main must be installed in any given area. At the March 1955 Town Meeting we are asking for an appropriation to enable us to start construction of the first portion of a new gravity line from the Pumping Station to the end of Revolutionary Road near Massachusetts Avenue and Route 128. Two years ago much of the area to be sewered was farm land or vacant lots. No amount of foresight could have predicted such a situation. Lexington is faced with several more similar problems, the location of which is known but the time undetermined. How- ever, it is certain that several million dollars worth must come in the not too distant future. For that reason we are forced to install mains only as the need in a specific locality becomes evident. This coming year, because of the present conditions of the sewage pumping station at North Lexington, it will be neces- 26 ANNUAL REPORTS sary to spend a considerable amount of money to make repa i rs. The station at the present time is operating under a badly over- loaded condition with storm conditions requiring the help of emer- gency portable pumps to prevent serious flooding. Even with the portable pumps it is impossible at times to prevent spillage of sewage into streams and onto streets. New and larger pumps must be installed and also a high water alarm system arranged to provide a warning at some permanently staffed station such as Police Headquarters. Streets B. The Board of Selectmen is continuing its policy of recom- mending for acceptance all streets, the construction of which has been requested by a majority of the property owners. As each of these streets is black topped, the percentage of dirt and sub -standard streets becomes so much less and be- fore too many years the number of poor streets will be negligible. The regulations whereby all sub -division devel- opers are required to construct accepted streets is saving the town substantially and adds much to its attractiveness. In 1955 the Board will recommend the construction of the first section of a road, which will by-pass the Center and Massachusetts Avenue, from a point on Bedford Street almost directly opposite the Central Fire Station finally ending near the 1775 House on Route 2. The section recommended for construction in 1955 will run from Bedford Street to Hastings Park. The future as well as the present value of this is enormous. This area on Bedford Street is already very busy commercially and will soon become more important. The proposed road will eliminate most of the danger at Harrington Road and Bedford Street, will make it possible for the Fire Department to reach the Concord Hill area quickly, will open up Robinson Hill for development, will assuage the traffic congestion around the Battle Green by providing large parking areas in the rear of the churches. Drainage C. As with the sewer problem, the drainage problem becomes more serious each year. A few years ago an appropriation of