Kellogg touts ‘significant’ progress of Pepper Street project

MONROE, CT — Steve Kirsch, a Board of Finance member speaking for himself as a resident, used a public comment portion of Monday’s Town Council meeting to criticize how the Pepper Street reconstruction project is being carried out, contending that Grasso Companies LLC needs to send out larger crews to get the work done in a timely manner.

In his update to the Council, First Selectman Ken Kellogg shared a sunnier outlook on the recent process of the project.

“I have continued to work with staff and the town attorney to facilitate the contractor’s timely completion of this project within the parameters and requirements established by the state and federal authorities,” Kellogg said. “Significant work has been completed recently.”

Among the completed work the first selectman outlined was:

• Lowering and regrading of the final section of roadway, between Cambridge Drive and Commerce Drive. “This was the area reported last fall as requiring a 500-foot section of gas line to be lowered by Eversource, which was finalized over the winter,” Kellogg explained.
• Installation of the base, or binder course, of pavement for this same area, as well as the Jockey Hollow and Garder Road intersections.
• Completion of the concrete parapet walls on the culvert near Jockey Hollow Road.

The remaining activities include:

• Completion of the multi-use trail path and installation of split-rail fencing.
• Final landscaping and plantings.
• Final course of pavement, curbing, pavement markings, and signage.
• Installation of the new traffic signal at Route 25 intersection.

“The contractor has continued to provide updates on the project schedule, which indicates completion this fall,” Kellogg said.

Many residents have expressed frustration over delays throughout the project to which all parties responded to in a Sun article earlier this summer.

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