Temps Place Road Work Prep Ahead of Schedule

The city is well ahead of its road repair schedule this year, thanks to the winter’s warmer-than-usual temperatures, says William Russo, director of .

In November, voters to fund road improvement projects around the city. Road work will begin April 1.

“We started the sweeping program half a month early and we’re ahead of the game for early summer,” Russo says.

In south Middletown, Randolph Road and Brown Street are due for repairs.

“Randolph to Anderson to Jarvis — we’ll do a full mill and pave,” Russo says. “Concrete curbs are long overdue” near Mercy and Vinal high schools. After that, Russo says, “we’ll look at Brown Street because side roads don’t have a lot of traffic. It’ll be overlain and we’ll get the asphalt in place for heavier trucks that travel on it.”

Doing so adds to the road’s longevity. “The price to do that will put 10 to 12 more years on the road.”

In Old Farms and Westfield, two roads between well-traveled Atkins and Middle streets are due for upgrades.

“In the warmer weather, we’ll start Sawmill Road off Atkins, which is ready to be paved, and Boardman Lane is three-quarters paved,” Russo says. “And Preston Avenue off Country Club Road, we’ll need to change structures, mill and pave.”

The only roadwork done at night is in the downtown area, Russo says.

“Off Main Street, Court Street to Broad” needs work and the “Middlesex Mutual area is the worst part of it.”

The federal government bridge project will allow the city to complete Westlake Drive bridges. “It’s a home run for the city,” Russo says, because all Middletown has to come up with is 20 percent of the cost and the remainder is funded at 80 percent.