LIVERMORE — Selectpersons were told Tuesday, Nov. 26, the paving project on Waters Hill Road is finished and a sinkhole reported last week on the River Road has been taken care of.

Highway Foreman Roger Ferland said Pike Industries Inc. of Fairfield had completed the base coat and shoulder work on Waters Hill Road.

“The shoulder work was half a foot wider than what was specified,” he said. “It came out very nice.”

The paving project was held up in part when the initial bids came in over budget. Voters approved $378,500 for the project at the annual town meeting. Pike lowered its bid from $382,925.20 to $376,849.20 and was accepted.

All States Materials Group, Windham submitted an initial bid of $414,569. Their revised bid was $384,195.69.

Ferland got a call late last week about a sinkhole in the vicinity of 728 River Road near Mill Pond.

“It was roughly four feet deep, went under the road at least two feet and was a foot around or bigger,” he said. “The 1940s cement box culvert was plugged with debris. Probably seven feet of water was backing up. I didn’t want to see an $80,000 to $100,000 culvert go down into the river.”

Ferland said he rented a large excavator to reach down and dig out all the trees when none locally were free. The road was closed four hours one day and two hours the next to fix the sinkhole and pack gravel under it.

Selectperson Chairman Mark Chretien said the sinkhole was close to eight feet deep. It took two yards of gravel to fill it.

“It was something else,” he said. “I’ve never seen something like it.”

Administrative Assistant Amy Byron said someone walking found the sinkhole.

Selectperson Scott Richmond said he thought stumps and rocks had been buried there in the past. A beaver dam there is some distance away from the culvert.

“If that beaver dam ever let go, you would have issues,” he said. “By Saturday the water had dropped seven to eight feet or more.”

Chretien said the culvert was 12 feet deep with two feet of concrete on top of it.

Richmond said Ferland should make a point to keep an eye on the culvert.

In other business, Richmond said the fire department’s Engine 1 truck did not pass inspection. The 2003 vehicle needs an exhaust manifold.

“Don (Castonguay, Fire Chief) is looking into prices for getting it fixed,” Richmond said. “We should have kept putting money aside when the last one (truck) was paid off but we don’t do that in Livermore.”

 

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