RUMFORD — Finance Committee members Thursday approved taking $175,000 from undesignated funds to repair damage to Swain Road from Tropical Storm Irene.

That recommendation includes buying and installing a twin box culvert in the Bean Brook washout of the road. Temporarily, a bridge on loan from Nicols Brothers Logging of Rumford spans the brook.

Now it’s up to voters attending the special town meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, in Rumford Falls Auditorium to provide final approval for the project to move forward.

That money will be used to pay for the work, and then the Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse the town for 75 percent of the cost. That money will be returned to undesignated funds.

During the selectmen’s meeting that followed at 7 p.m., Town Manager Carlo Puiia said that should voters OK the expenditure, he expects a bid for the work to be opened at the board’s next regular meeting, which follows the special town meeting.

At a pre-bid construction meeting held this week with interested contractors on behalf of the town by Main-Land Development Consultants of Livermore Falls, Puiia said delivery of the box culvert is expected within two weeks following the vote.

“From the day it’s delivered, there’s a four-week period that it must be installed,” Puiia said.

Should the contractor exceed that time, fines will be levied per day, he said.

“But from the consensus of the contractors who were at the meeting, they estimate two weeks, give or take a few days, so we will be interrupting the traffic on that road for that period of time,” Puiia said.

“Unfortunately, it’s going to be somewhere in the holiday season,” he said.

He said there isn’t a definite date yet, but signs warning drivers that the bridge will be out will be placed along the road and Swain Road area residents will be notified by mail of the road closure.

Additionally, Puiia said the dates for the closure and work will be advertised in local newspapers.

Selectman Brad Adley asked Puiia to ensure that Black Mountain of Maine ski resort is notified of the pending work and road closure.

Adley said the ski area will host the 2012 U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships from Jan. 2-8, and skiers and fans frequently use Swain Road to access Isthmus Road and the ski area rather than taking the long way around on Routes 2 and 120.

“Absolutely,” Puiia said.

“Hopefully, it will be done by then,” board Chairman Greg Buccina said.

Answering Adley’s next question about the Nicols bridge, Puiia said part of the project contract requires the contractor to remove the logging bridge.

Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the special town meeting warrant.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

Copy the Story Link