$4.2-Million in TIP Funding for Goldsmith Street. On June 26, 2008, the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)'s Transportation Planning and Programming Committee formally adopted amendments to the Federal Fiscal Year 2008 TIP (Transportation Improvement Plan) which includes $4.2-million for Goldsmith Street, Littleton. The Committee had given initial approval at its meeting on May 22, 2008, which then triggered a required 30-day public comment period. With the action on June 26th, that funding is officially in place.
MassHighways Bid Results: $800,000 below estimate. MassHighways opened construction bids on Thursday, November 13, 2008 at 2 PM in Boston. The apparent low bid of $3,212,757 is $800,000 below MassHighway's estimate of $4,013,177 for the construction contract. See the bid results. On December 1, 2008, the Board of Selectmen voted to authorize execution of the City-Town 110% Agreement No. 57076 between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, acting through the Massachusetts Highway Department, and the Town of Littleton relative to the Goldsmith Street reconstruction . The construction bid came in at $3.212-million, and this standard "110%" contract requires the Town to cover expenses incurred at 10% above that, or greater than $3.534-million.
The project consists of improvements to Goldsmith Street from the intersection with Route 2A/110 to the intersection with Shaker Lane, a distance of approximately 1.45 miles. Sidewalk and landscaping improvements will also be provided. The total project cost is $5.2-million, of which $1-million will be paid by the Town through the funds unanimously approved by the May 5, 2008 Special Town Meeting. The project has been put out to bid by the Massachusetts Highway Department. The projected start is the Spring of 2009. Read the Littleton Independent story.
MassHighways Design Plans. Download the PDF file of the plans and specifications for the project as bid by MassHighways: Caution: large file (17 MB). Sheets 4 through 17 show details beginning at the intersection with King Street (Sheet 4) and ending at Shaker Lane (Sheet 17). Links to those sheets below. See cover sheet.
Roadway Improvement Plan. To address the condition of local roads in Littleton, the Board of Selectmen voted on March 10, 2008 to support an $8-million roadway improvement plan, which would be funded inside the property tax levy limit, without any overrides of Proposition 2 1/2. The funding plan includes use of some $500,000 per year in operating budget monies, and an estimated $260,000 in Chapter 90 highway funds from the State. May 5, 2008 Town Meeting voters approved initial borrowing of $1-million for this project. Another $1-million in borrowing will be requested in 2013, and a final $800,000 in FY 2018. The Town will also continue to pursue additional state funding to help offset the local cost of this project. This plan does not involve any use of cell tower revenues, which prior town meetings have designated for conservation land purposes. See the detailed spreadsheet with financing assumptions. View the PowerPoint presentation.