By GAYLA CAWLEY
MARBLEHEAD — Phase 2 of the Pleasant Street drainage project, that will prevent water from leaching out of culverts into nearby basements and increase the flow rate, will move forward this spring, say town officials.
“In short, water will enter the stormwater system faster, be contained in the system and moved out of the drainage system more efficiently, ” said Amy McHugh, superintendent of the Water and Sewer Commission.
To proceed with the second phase, the town was awarded more than $1 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds in 2015.
Funds were initially approved for drainage improvements in the Pleasant Street area at Town Meeting in 2012. The three-phase project was originally designed with a price tag of almost $5 million. Work on Atlantic Avenue, Essex and Spring streets began May 2013 and was completed during the summer of 2014.
McHugh said Phase 2 includes two types of construction, trenchless technology and classic improvement. Trenchless work began during the fall, when a 33-inch concrete pipe running from Sewall to Pleasant streets had a structural liner inserted.
McHugh said the stone culvert located in the easement on Pleasant Street will have a cement liner placed during the spring. Stone culverts that are more than 100 years old will be upgraded next summer and replaced with 48-inch pipe on School and Pleasant streets.
Approximately 700 feet of aged drainage infrastructure will be replaced on Pleasant Street between Spring and Anderson streets, McHugh said. Catch basins will also be added on Pleasant Street at the Bessom Street intersection.
Town Administrator John McGinn said the project was undertaken because under certain weather conditions, there would be flooding in the allotted areas and lots of water would go into those buildings.
McHugh said Phase 3 is scheduled for final design and construction after the second phase is completed. Drainage problems on Evans Road and Roosevelt Avenue will be addressed.
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.