Saugus nets additional Route 1 pipe rehab funds

SAUGUS – Town Manager Andrew Bisignani announced Monday that Saugus was awarded an $840,000 MassWorks Infrastructure Grant to install new water mains on Route 1 north.The grant will be combined with the $2 million Saugus was given to replace water mains when Gov. Deval Patrick signed last month’s supplemental budget.Bisignani said the project, which he hopes can get under way in the spring, will replace around 4,000 feet of water main from Main Street to Home Depot.”This was a team effort and I’m very pleased,” said Bisignani. “This will solve about 98 percent of our water main problems”With Walmart agreeing to replace up to 800 feet of water main in the area, Bisignani said the state and Walmart will fund 100 percent of the project costs, which amounts to $3.1 million.”It will cost the taxpayers nothing,” said Bisignani. “We don’t need any town funds.”The water main running north from Main Street on Route 1 has suffered numerous breaks over the years and has long been a source of frustration for commuters heading out of Boston.”So many people are affected by it,” said Bisignani. “That’s the gateway to the North Shore. It will make it a much safer road and it will be good for business. It’s long overdue.”State Rep. Donald Wong said the repairs will help alleviate traffic on surrounding highways as well.”When there’s a break, people may take other roads and (routes) 93 and 128 will back up,” said Wong. “It affects every community, not just Saugus.”Bisignani said he along with grants consultant Paul Rupp and members of the state delegation have been working on the grant all summer.”Paul Rupp was instrumental in putting this whole program together,” said Bisignani. “We were very aggressive this time and our state delegation worked tirelessly to get approval.”According to Bisignani, the current water main, which is close to 100 years old and runs down the center lane of the road, will be abandoned and a new one installed either along the sidewalk or in the breakdown lane.Bisignani expects the project to be similar to the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority project currently under way on Route 1 south near Lynnfield, which will see 6,000 feet of water main replaced. Bisignani said most of the work will likely be done at night, with a “minimal amount of disruption.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter @MattTempesta.