W. Boylston Construction Alert/05-31-2016

[jaymac]

If you're not frequently in West Boylston, you may have missed the message boards about construction delays. The area in question is joint 12/140 where the crosses the reservoir. There are dig-lines on the southbound side, so there'll probably be single-lane traffic for some time until they get a new run-off control system in place.
If you don't want to feel yourself getting older, the high school side of the reservoir to and from Oakdale is one possibility. That's the road that people use to photograph EBs outta Oakdale. You may want to get on the map and/or satellite views of your choice for advance familiarization.
I have no idea if work will be going on over weekends.

[jaymac]

The predawn 11-14-2016 drive-over showed all paving done, but line-painting not, so mebbe a day or so for the resumption of normal traffic patterns. How much priority did they put on this? The new paving was going down even before 0430 on 11-11. Yes -- Veterans Day.

[jaymac]

Didn't West Boylston construction end before last Thanksgiving? Thankfully yes, it did.
But, to go all Poltergeist, they're back! As of 0745/04-05-2017, dig lines were on the pavement, and crews and detail officers were beside the pavement at the Oakdale end of Beaman Street/Rte. 140, and road-work signs were on the Oakdale end of Thomas Street.
With proper permitting, someone with a food cart could make a fortune.

[jaymac]

As of 0630/04-10-2017, no signs advising of the start of disruption had been posted, but the dig lines have been sawn, so it's getting closer. Also, the construction signs on Thomas Street SB at Oakdale are only to advise of the end of the work zone.

[CPF363]

As of 0630/04-10-2017, no signs advising of the start of disruption had been posted, but the dig lines have been sawn, so it's getting closer. Also, the construction signs on Thomas Street SB at Oakdale are only to advise of the end of the work zone.

What work is planned? New crossing?

[jaymac]

Dunno for sure, but given the corrugated stock already staged near the DCR building on Beaman Street/Rte. 140, it's probably a storm-water drainage project for Wachusett Reservoir protection.
As far as "new crossing," Beaman Street/Rte. 140 crosses the Worcester Main at Oakdale on an OHB at X-10.21 or so. The closest grade crossings are Temple Street, X-7.8, and Prescott Street, X-11.2, and they've both gotten attention in the reasonably close past.

[jaymac]

In addition to the work around Oakdale, dig-lines have gone down along either side of and across Rte. 140 further south and either side of the Boylston/West Boylston line. Dunno when actual work will start.

[boatsmate]

they started cutting the road Tuesday

[jaymac]

Message boards are up, advising of detours from Rte. 140 by the Wachusett Reservoir starting 10-2 and running 0830-1600, presumably M-F. No details, but the detour will probably include Main Street/Rte. 70 in Boylston, the approach to the Worcester County Jail, and Shrewsbury and Maple Streets in West Boylston to reconnect with 140.
It'll add a few miles and mebbe 10-15 minutes travel time. No mention of end-date.

[jaymac]

New messages on the Rte. 140 boards 10-25-2017 north of the Main Street/Rte. 70 lights and by the W. Boylston solar farm advise of road milling and paving starting 11-01 during daylight and presumably M-F. No mention of detours, so probably alternate single-lane running. Also no mention about any milling/paving for Oakdale area.

[jaymac]

10-30-2017, message boards were up advising of milling and paving starting on 11-03 for the Oakdale stretch of Rte.140. As with the boards for milling and paving further south on 140 by the West Boylston-Boylston line starting 11-01, no mention of detours.

[jaymac]

Tired of this yet?
Just after 0430/11-03-2017, the Boylston/West Boylston stretch had been milled, but not yet paved. The message boards for that area still made no mention about a detour, but barriers had been up 11/02 at the Rtes. 140/70 lights.
This morning -- the advertised start of operations for the Oakdale section -- there were no detour advisories for there, but pre-0700, a milling machine with a detail officer in back of it was off the pavement on the NB side.
No idea if they'll work through the weekend, but if you're going to be in the area, it might be good to factor in delays/detours.

[trainsinmaine]

I spent the first 25 years of my life in Worcester County, go back there often, and have never been able to figure out why Thomas Street (around the west side of the reservoir) is not designated as Route 140 rather than Beaman Street on the other side. It doesn't make sense to me --- it's the direct route from West Boylston village to Oakdale.

[Lmiller]

Thomas St is designated a " No Truck " route, from Oakdale to Rt 12.

[jaymac]

To expand on Lmiller's post, before 190 was in place, 12 and, to a lesser extent, 140 were the principal north-south routes for both commercial and personal transportation north of Worcester. Those two roads share ROW -- to make this seem marginally more railroady -- from mebbe a mile south of the reservoir causeway to the northerly end of the causeway in West Boylston. If all that pre-Interstate traffic had instead been routed left at the 12/140 lights northbound or right at the Oakdale split southbound, not much would have gotten anywhere. Seeing that the next town that 12 enters is Sterling, it's doubtful that any alinement other than the present one would have been considered.
To establish my bona fides, I lived in West Boylston from 1987 to 2015 and since then have been on the Wachusett's easterly shore and still wear out my tires in that area.