The town’s DPW director updated the Southwick Select Board about the current road repair projects and plans for future projects.
Reminder Publishing file photo
SOUTHWICK — With the completion of the Ed Holcomb Road repair project, the DPW is moving forward with several other projects, including the restoration of Gargon Terrace.
“So, basically everything is still online on what we started last year. The year before, we were going to work [on] finishing Ed Holcomb Road, and this year with Gargon Terrace,” said DPW Director Rich Bosak during the Select Board meeting Monday night.
The major rehabilitation of Gargon Terrace started in 2024 with plans to remove one of the sidewalks along the street and repair the other across the street.
With the sidewalk repaired, repaving the 1,800-foot street should begin soon now that the Select Board has approved a $213,018 contract with Palmer Paving for the work.
Bosak said the DPW would now turn its attention to Meadow Lane, which until four months ago had not been considered a high priority.
“[We’re] looking to get a Meadow Lane bid out, hopefully by the end of this month,” said Bosak, who was asked by board member Russ Anderson to brief the board on the upcoming projects.
Earlier this year, BETA, a firm that specializes in pavement management, completed a survey of the town’s roads using artificial intelligence to design a Pavement Management Program, which is now the primary driver of the funding decisions suggested annually by the DPW and approved by the Select Board.
The survey ranked the road surfaces on a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 indicating the best condition.
That survey found that Meadow Lane, between Hillside Road and the cul-de-sac at its end, has an average road surface rating of 55 and an estimated cost of $494,784.
Select Board member Douglas Moglin asked Bosak if Meadow Lane would be repaved before winter.
Bosak, describing the condition of Meadow Lane as similar to Gargon Terrace, said there was an “outside” chance.
“It’s just destroyed blacktop,” he said. “I think the base is still good and we might have to [work] on some catch basin tops, but the structures look really good. It’s all concrete.”
In May, Bosak told the board he was planning to request bids for the major rehabilitation of Dairy Lane and Stagecoach Road at an estimated cost of $317,236.
“There’s still some legwork on our end that’ll encompass Dairy Lane as well as Stagecoach Road,” he said, adding that those were the 2026 projects.
Regarding the 2027 projects, Bosak said major rehabilitations of Birchwood, Fernwood, Pineywood and Thurgood roads, at an estimated cost of $826,552, are still on the agenda.
He said work may start on South Loomis Street.
“I know we have some basin work, so that might change if [we] don’t have to pave it,” he said. “We might have to just do the basin work … dollar-wise.”
Other places for spending were Vining Hill Road, from College Highway to the Pearl Brook culvert, and Feeding Hills Road, from Birchwood Road to College Highway, he said.
“I look forward to getting some of these bids out,” he said.
Bosak said he is already considering Rising Corner, South Longyard Road, Foster and Matthews roads for 2028.
“Me and [assistant DPW Director Jon Goddard] will go over those and see which one looks better … more promising,” he said, adding that bidding the road projects in “blocks” can keep the cost down.
The state Department of Transportation already has the resurfacing of Granville Road on its list of upcoming projects, but the town had to complete the drainage work along the road.
“We still want to save funds to do drainage on Granville Road to keep that in the DOT’s eyes … and before it gets chewed up during the winter,” he said.
Select Board member Joseph Deedy asked about the trees along the town’s streets and roads.
Bosak said the department follows its tree program.
“It’s really been hit or miss. Usually, it’s the bad trees we’re told of,” he said.
For 2026, DPW has $2.3 million dedicated to repair projects.
The money needed for the repair project comes from several funding sources: $1 million authorized by the 2025 Town Meeting; $614,905 in the 2026 Chapter 90 appropriation; $171,836 in the 2026 Chapter 90 supplement; $83,615 from the 2026 Fair Share supplement; $122,255 from Rural Road state funding appropriated in 2025; $167,021 carried over from 2025 Chapter 90 funds and $76,906 carried over from the 2024 Fair Share state allocation.
