HomeMy Public PortalAbout08-12-2014 Burying Utilities_201408080925261251Michael J. Driscoll
Town Manager
TOWN OF
WATERTOWN
Office of the Town Manager
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-972-6465
Fax: 617-972-6404
www.watertown-ma.gov
townmgr@watertown-ma.gov
To: Honorable Town Council
From: Michael J. Driscoll, Town Manager
Date: August 7, 2014
RE: Burying of Utilities
Attached please find correspondence regarding the subject from Steven Magoon, Director
of Community Development and Planning/Assistant Town Manager.
1 will bring this up under Communications from the Town Manager at the August 12,
2014 Town Council Meeting and respectfully request the matter be referred to Committee for
review and consideration.
cc: Steven Magoon, Director of Community Development and Planning/Assistant Town Manager
David Farrar, Wire Inspector
Gerald S. Mee, Jr., Superintendent of Public Works
Matthew Shuman, Town Engineer
Mark R. Reich, Esquire, Kopelman and Paige, P.C.
Francis J. Golden, Town Assessor
Thomas J. Tracy, Town Auditor
Town of Watertown
Department of
Community Development and Planning
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
(617) 972-6417
FAX (617) 972-6484
To: Michael j. Driscoll, Town Manager
From: Steve Magoon, DCDP Director
Date: August 7, 2014
Subject: Burying of Utilities
As we have briefly discussed, there is a growing interest in the burying of utilities within
the Arsenal Street corridor. The aesthetic impact of overhead wires can be significant, in
addition to the operation and maintenance issues and street tree impacts that these
utilities can cause. There are also significant costs associated with the installation and the
maintenance of underground utilities. We now have some estimated costs associated with
burying of utilities in a portion of the Arsenal Street corridor, which was commissioned by
a developer.
There are a number of ways that this can be financed, and a significant number- of issues to
consider. Therefore I would respectfully request that the Honorable Town Council refer
this issue to committee for further policy discussion.