FARMINGTON — A road construction project will close a portion of Front Street starting Monday, Jan. 4, through Thursday, Jan. 7, Public Works Director Denis Castonguay said.
Front Street from Broadway to the cinema parking lot entrance will be closed during that time, and drivers should find an alternate route, he said.
An E.L. Vining crew will replace a storm drain from the foundation of Crop and Scissors store across the road, approximately 30 feet. It’s part of an old underground granite culvert system that runs under the store but handles a lot of storm water coming from buildings on Main Street and the parking lots behind the Main Street banks, he said.
During the heavy rains this summer, joints in the old system couldn’t take the pressure from backed-up water and some broke, leaving a sinkhole in the road, he said.
While hoping to complete the work in three days, it involves “some tricky excavation work as there are several utilities underground at the site, including water, sewer and phone lines,” he said.
Selectmen approved spending $12,000 from the Public Works Department budget for the project. It’s not part of the repair work done a few years ago at the end of Broadway but connects to it, Castonguay said.
There are other issues with the rest of the storm drain pipes going from there to the Sandy River that carry an estimated $200,000 price tag. The department is looking for ways to finance the upgrade.
In the meantime, next week’s project will ensure there is no longer a sinkhole on Front Street, he said.
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