A massive crane was brought in last week to lower individual sections of the new water diversion tunnel under Central Street. Here the first section is lowered into the pit that was dug for the new tunnel which eventually would become 145 feet long. The tunnel replaces an over 100 year old laid-up stone culvert that was deteriorating. Photo by Bill Lyon At some time, most likely in the late nineteenth century, springs sending water down Spring Street were dammed and used as drinking water by the houses and farms around the upper end of Central Street.

Last week, during an operation to replace a deteriorating culvert under the street, workers discovered an old concrete dam.

I remember reading that there was a water reservoir there at some time in the past, said Mary Comiskey a local historian.

The dam was removed by bringing in a large hammer and breaking up the old dam. This was necessary in order to make room for the new water diversion tunnel that was installed under the street last week.

The completed 145 foot tunnel shown here will be buried under Central Street and will keep the water coming down from the brook on Spring Street from flooding. The brook eventually ends up dumping its water into the Dog River. Photo by Bill Lyon “The dam was a surprise to us,” said Bill Lyon, Superintendent of Public Works. But it had to be removed in order for the new tunnel to be put in place.

Prior to the 1950’s there was a pond on the western side of Central Street down below where the water dumped from the brook down Spring Street and the kids used it as a skating rink during the winter and a place for hunting frogs in summer. The pond was drained by Norwich many years ago but the brook down Spring Street still runs requiring that a water diversion tunnel be maintained under Central Street to accomodate the water flow.

The old culvert had to be replaced said Mr. Lyon, the street was beginning to sag from the deterioration of the old installation, he added.

The old culvert had been made up in three sections, metal on each end and laid up stone in th emiddle. Over the years, the culvert had plugged up and flooded nearby property owners each spring, said Mr. Lyon.

Dubois and King was employed to complete a storm water study of the south end and developed recommendations for improvements. The Central Street culvert was included in that study.

A grant application was then submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a grant was awarded which would cover 75 per cent of the actual cost to the village.

Engineer Brenie Chenette was employed to assist the village in developing the design build specifications for the project so bids could be obtained.

Eleven bids were received and the low bid went to W. B. Rogers from Bethel.

The bid was to install a new 5 by 8 foot pre-cast concrete tunnel that would be 145 feet long with additonal costs to include removal and replacement, water and sewer pipes, drainage lines and electrical poles.

In addition, 230 feet of new sidewalk had to be constructed.

The total cost of the project will be in the vicinity of $225,000.

Construction commenced on August 10 and substantial completion and road opening is slated for September 15.

It was a rather challenging project, Mr. Lyon said. This was because the brook continued to flow during the entire time of construction and it was necessary to pump watsewater around the project during the full time of construction.

“We anticipate that the new culvert will service the village for the next 100 years,” Mr. Lyon said.

Large concrete pre-fabricated tunnel sections were trucked in last week after contractors dug up the old culvert, removed the dirt from where the new tunnel was to go and demolished the dam that was discovered during the construction process.

The new sections were trucked in then lifted off the trucks with a crane and put in place in the hole that had been dug to receive them. The sections were then bolted together and have rubber fenders where the sections come together to keep water from leaking out the side.

The sections were manufactured by Camp Concrete Products in Milton.