Kent’s Streetscape project takes concrete step forward as town looks for contractor
KENT — Despite a recent delay, the town’s streetscape project — which began 12 years ago — is moving forward once again. The town is requesting bids for construction work and they are due by the end of the month.
The roughly $3 million project involves replacing approximately 11,000 linear feet of sidewalks in town.
A bid package, which is now posted on the town and state’s websites, was sent out in early February, with a due date of Feb. 28. On that date at 10 a.m., town officials will hold a public opening at Town Hall, where all bids will be read aloud.
Kent First Selectman Jean Speck said she’s looking forward to the project’s completion.
“We’ve lived through two really, really tough years due to the pandemic and I can’t think of a better summer or fall to look forward to have at least a first phase of this project underway,” she said. “Making visible forward motion that’s going to be meaningful to the residents and the visitors — it’s exciting.”
Delays
The bid package was expected to go out last summer but got stalled after being sent to the state Department of Transportation for review.
The DOT said the town needed to get three permanent
easements for construction work at St. Andrew’s Parish on North Main Street, for a 99-square-foot area.
“(The church) is giving us permanent access so that we can install, repair, maintain and/or replace the sidewalks there,” she added.
While the construction is expected to break ground over the next few months, many variables can delay it, such as a lot of rain.
Speck said she hopes the work is completed by the summer, “which is the most important time for our businesses.”
She said the public would need to access the sidewalks while the construction is taking place.
“They have to make sure that the shops are accessible,” Speck added.
Phases, grants
The bid package that was sent out is for phase 1 of the project — which is Route 7 from the Soldiers’ Monument to the railroad tracks. On the east side of the street, the work extends up to the crosswalk. On the west side, it ends at the Fife ‘n Drum Restaurant & Inn parking lot, where a new crosswalk will be installed.
Phase 2, which is still in its early stages, will include Route 7 south of the Soldiers’ Monument, to Kent Greenhouse & Gardens, and 341 East on the south side of the street, which is the firehouse side. On the north side, it will go to Maple Street Extension and end at Stuart Farm Apartments, and include the south side of Lane Street.
The company that will be doing the work will be giving the town a timeline.
“We’ll start publishing a lot more information once there’s a contractor in place,” Speck said.
The idea for the project began with Speck’s predecessor — former Kent First Selectman Bruce Adams.
Adams, who now lives in Washington, said he was able to secure three grants for the town, which will now be used for the project. These are the CT Community Connectivity Grant for $400,000 from state Department of Transportation; a Main Street Investment Fund grant for $500,000 from the state Department of Housing; and a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant for $2.35 million, also from DOT.
“In combination, those three grants can get this work done, and then some,” said Adams, who was Kent’s First Selectman for 10 years, beginning in 2009.
Adams said Kent is a “wonderful town” as it is, but one area that is “severely lacking in a lot of ways is the infrastructure in the center of town — particularly the sidewalks.”
He said he hopes concrete will be used for the streets, as opposed to asphalt, which they are made from now.
“Asphalt looks OK when it’s new — nice and dark black — but it fades quickly,” Adams said. “It just does not hold up as well as concrete does. It peels and chips. Snowplows gauge it. It also looks cheap.”
‘Totally behind them’
He said the new sidewalks will benefit the town on many fronts.
“Kent is packed on a nice weather summer weekend, and they need these sidewalks from an aesthetic standpoint,” Adams said. “They also need them very much from a safety standpoint because there’s many trip hazards, and from a directional standpoint to get the sidewalks to the proper locations.”
Bruce, who lived in Kent for 34 years, said he has very strong feelings for the town.
“I’m totally behind them,” he said. “It will make it an even more appealing downtown than it already is.”
The streetscape committee will review the bids after they are received and make a recommendation to the Board of Selectmen, who will then chose the bidder that will be awarded the project. The next Streetscape Building Subcommittee Special Meeting meeting is March 7 at 5:30 p.m.