Route 115 Project Begins April 1

The long-awaited Route 115 project is scheduled to begin Thursday, April 1. The project includes widening of the road, realignment of intersections, in­stallation of sidewalks, and a new traffic signal at the intersection of Route 115 and Route 1A, among other things.

Town officials have long touted the project as a means of improving traffic flow in the area and making travel safer. They also note that pedestrians will be able to negotiate the southeast area of Norfolk better, and can reach both the Pond Street Recreation Complex and Route 1A from Norfolk Center.

The area includes Route 115 between the intersection with Needham Street and North Street all the way southeast to Route 1. The railroad abutment on Pine Street in Pondville is scheduled to be demol­ished in late April or early May, said Remo “Butch” Vito, the town’s director of public works.

In the meantime, workers are ex­pected to spend much of April surveying and cleaning and clearing out stumps and other items from the shoulders of the roads to make them ready for construc­tion, Vito said.

The total cost of the project is expect­ed to be between $6.5 and $7 million, to be paid for by the state. The contractor is J.H. Lynch & Sons Inc., of Cumberland, Rhode Island.

The projected completion date is Oc­tober 24, 2011.