LIVERMORE — Selectpersons on Tuesday night voted to spend $5,000 for culvert work on the River Road.

They also discussed holding regular road committee meetings in advance of budget deliberations.

Highway Foreman Roger Ferland said the culvert near Roger St. Pierre’s home at 205 River Road has caused problems for years. Previously, gravel has been used to replace the material found in the road.

The road bed is made up of blue-green clay, which heaves more than the gravel making it appear that the culvert has sunken.

Ferland had spoken with several reputable people who do culvert work. They recommended removing the material around the culvert, mixing gravel with what’s in the road to get a sustained base and paving it to stabilize the road.

He recommended digging out the culvert and about 25 feet of road on the St. Pierre side. He would move to the other side of the road and dig out around the other side of the culvert and 50 feet of road.

The whole culvert would then be pulled to install the clay and gravel mix. The culvert would be put back and the road repaved.

Ferland estimated the road would need to be closed for about four hours. He would notify the school district and the Fire Department beforehand.

Ferland said Bruce Manzer quoted $5,000 to pave a section of road 75 feet long by 20 feet wide by 3 inches deep.

He said work has been done several times on the culvert but it has never been moved. In the past, old cold mix was scraped off, the area was filled in with one-and-a-half inch gravel and new cold mix applied.

“The culvert lifted up enough so it cracked the pavement. If the culvert were to be built up, 300 to 400 feet of work would be needed on either side to get up the hill. We can’t swing it this year,” Ferland said.

Board Chairman Tom Gould asked if the $5,000 repair would take care of it.

Ferland said it would buy time, but he couldn’t guarantee it.

“I hate to put a lot of money into something that’s not going to gain us anything,” Gould said.

We’ve got to try something,” Selectperson Mark Chretien said.

Selectperson Scott Richmond said two other culverts were so big they had to be adjusted so they’re not as noticeable.

“It’s well worth a shot,” he said.

 Ferland said if it works there are 14 similar culverts to do.

“It’s an opportunity to try something different,” Gould said.

pharnden@sunmediagroup.net 

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