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Connecticut DOT Milling and Paving Project on Buckingham Street
Watertown, CT – July 15, 2026
The Town of Watertown would like to inform residents of an upcoming roadway improvement project being conducted by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT).
According to the Connecticut DOT, milling and paving operations are scheduled for SR 262 (Buckingham Street) from Route 6 to Frost Bridge, beginning on Thursday, July 16, 2026, and expected to be completed by Monday, August 3, 2026.
The Town also understands that additional Connecticut DOT press releases will be forthcoming regarding planned milling and paving projects on:
- SR 855 (Buckingham Street) from SR 73 (Main Street) to Frost Bridge
- SR 262 from Frost Bridge to the vicinity of Route 8
The Town of Watertown would like to extend its sincere appreciation to the Connecticut Department of Transportation for undertaking these important improvements within our community.
Temporary Road Closures and Detours for Cold In-Place Recycling Preparation
Watertown, CT – July 14, 2026
The Town of Watertown Department of Public Works announces that preparatory work for the upcoming Cold In-Place Recycling (CIR) roadway rehabilitation project will take place on Echo Lake Road and Ice House Road from Thursday, July 16, 2026, through Tuesday, July 21, 2026, excluding the weekend.
Work will be performed daily from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. During these hours, motorists should expect temporary road closures and signed detours while crews complete the necessary preparation work in advance of the Cold In-Place Recycling process. This work is essential to ensure the roadway is properly prepared for the upcoming rehabilitation.
Local traffic and emergency vehicles will be accommodated whenever possible; however, motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes and allow additional travel time. Residents and businesses along the project route will continue to have access, although brief delays may occur.
Emergency Road Closure Notice – Hillside Avenue Drainage Repair
Watertown/Oakville, CT – July 7, 2026
An emergency drainage repair project on Hillside Avenue will begin today, July 7, 2026, and is expected to continue through July 9, 2026.
Following three nights of heavy rainfall since July 4, the Town of Watertown Department of Public Works (DPW) identified a complete failure of approximately 120 feet of 24-inch corrugated metal pipe (CMP) beneath the roadway.
The emergency repair will include:
- Removal of the failed CMP
- Installation of new 24-inch High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipe
- Backfilling of the excavation
- Roadway paving and restoration
The work is anticipated to take 2–3 days to complete and will be performed by Dayton Construction Company, Inc. in coordination with the Watertown Highway Department.
Road Closure Information
Hillside Avenue will be closed between:
- Main Street (SR 73)
- Buckingham Street (SR 855)
Detour Route
Motorists are advised to use the following roads as detour routes:
- Buckingham Street (SR 855)
- Main Street (SR 73)
- Ball Farm Road
Police, Fire, and EMS vehicles will maintain access to the area throughout the duration of the project and will be accommodated as needed to ensure timely emergency response.
We thank residents and the traveling public for their patience and cooperation during this emergency repair. These improvements are necessary to maintain the safety and reliability of our road network and to ensure the safety of the crews performing the work.
Nighttime Pavement Marking Removal for Upcoming Micro Surfacing Program
Watertown, CT – July 7, 2026
The Town of Watertown announces that pavement marking removal operations will begin as part of the preparation for the Town's 2026 Micro Surfacing Program.
Work will take place on the following roadways:
- Basset Road (From the bridge to Route 6)
- French Street
- Guernseytown Road (Route 6 to Judd Farm Rd excluding the newly paved area)
- Linkfield Road
To minimize impacts on daytime traffic, portions of the pavement marking removal work will be performed during nighttime hours. Operations are expected to begin between 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., depending on the location and work schedule.
Residents living near these roadways should be aware that the equipment used to remove existing pavement markings generates noise during operation. However, this is a mobile process, and crews will move continuously along each roadway, limiting the duration of noise at any one location.
Motorists are encouraged to exercise caution when traveling through active work zones. Please reduce speeds, obey all posted traffic control devices, and be alert for workers and equipment. Temporary traffic delays may occur but are expected to be minimal.
The pavement marking removal is a necessary step in preparing the roadways for the upcoming micro surfacing treatment that will happen at the end of July, which will help preserve the existing pavement, improve ride quality, and extend the service life of these roads.
The Town of Watertown appreciates the public's patience and cooperation as these important roadway improvements are completed.
Cold in Place Recycling and Paver-Placed Stabilized Full Depth Reclamation (PPSFDR)
Watertown, CT – July 6, 2026
The Town of Watertown is pleased to announce that work associated with the Cold in Place Recycling and Paver-Placed Stabilized Full Depth Reclamation (PPSFDR) project is scheduled to begin on July 10th, weather permitting.
Over the coming weeks, crews will perform road surface improvements at multiple locations throughout town as part of a comprehensive initiative to enhance the safety, reliability, and long-term performance of Watertown's road network system.
Residents and motorists are encouraged to exercise caution when traveling through active work zones. Please reduce speeds, obey all posted traffic control devices, and expect occasional delays. Your cooperation is essential to ensuring the safety of both workers and the traveling public.
Environmental Benefits
The Town's use of Cold In-Place Recycling (CIR) and Paver-Placed Stabilized Full Depth Reclamation (PPSFDR) reflects its commitment to sustainable infrastructure practices.
Cold In-Place Recycling is an environmentally friendly pavement rehabilitation process that reuses existing roadway materials on-site, reducing the need for new aggregate and asphalt. By recycling the existing pavement, the process conserves natural resources, decreases material transportation, lowers fuel consumption, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions associated with traditional roadway reconstruction. CIR also minimizes construction waste sent to landfills, making it a sustainable and cost-effective solution for extending pavement life.
Paver-Placed Stabilized Full Depth Reclamation further enhances sustainability by reclaiming and reusing existing roadway materials while stabilizing the road base in place. This process significantly reduces the need for excavation, trucking, and disposal of existing materials, resulting in lower fuel usage, reduced emissions, and less disruption to surrounding areas. The result is a stronger, longer-lasting roadway structure that maximizes the value of existing resources while minimizing environmental impact.
Project Locations
The Cold in Place Recycling and Paver-Placed Stabilized Full Depth Reclamation (PPSFDR) Program includes work at the following locations:
- Brookview Circle
- Charter Oak Drive
- Echo Lake Road
- Farview Circle
- Ice House Road
- Ledgewood Road
- Skilton Road
- Wheeler Farm Road
The Town of Watertown appreciates the public's patience and cooperation as these important infrastructure improvements are completed.
St. John Wall Reconstruction Project to Begin July 6 on Main Street in Watertown
WATERTOWN, CT - JULY 2, 2026
The Town of Watertown announces the start of the “St. John’s School Wall Reconstruction Project” at 760 Main Street along the frontage of Holy Disciples Catholic School, with construction scheduled to begin on July 6, 2026.
The project includes the removal and replacement of an existing stone wall along the roadway with construction of the new wall to be set farther back from Main Street. This will allow for construction of a new sidewalk from the corner of Woodruff Street to meet the sidewalk recently installed in conjunction with Starbucks. New ramps, a crosswalk, and pedestrian signal and push button will be installed at the Woodruff Street crossing. A grass shoulder will be added between the sidewalk and roadway to separate pedestrians from traffic while also serving as a snow-storage shelf.
The project aims to improve pedestrian mobility and safety along this section of Main Street – just one of several projects the town is advancing with funding from various state and federal grant programs. The project is being funded through the Community Connectivity Grant Program (CCGP) administered by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT). The contractor for the project is Dayton Construction Company, and the design consultant is SLR International Corp.
The primary goal is to complete the majority of construction activities before the start of the fall school year, minimizing impacts on students, parents, faculty, and the surrounding community.
Traffic Impacts
Motorists should expect periodic traffic disruptions during portions of the project. During a few days of heavier construction activity, Main Street will be narrowed, with the Watertown Police Department providing traffic control to ensure the safe movement of vehicles and pedestrians.
Residents and commuters are encouraged to seek alternate routes when possible, during these periods. Reducing traffic volume in the construction area will help maintain traffic flow and improve safety for workers and the public.
The Town appreciates the patience and cooperation of residents, businesses, school families, and commuters as these important infrastructure improvements are completed.
For additional project updates, residents should monitor Town communications and official announcements.
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Watertown Announces Roadway Improvement Preparatory Work
Watertown, CT – June 29, 2026
The Town of Watertown is pleased to announce that preparatory work associated with upcoming roadway improvement projects is scheduled to begin July 6th and the following weeks, weather permitting.
As part of the Town's ongoing commitment to maintaining and improving its transportation infrastructure, crews will begin preparatory activities in advance of paving operations on the following roadways:
- Echo Lake Road
- Wilson Drive
- Bunker Hill Road
Preparatory work may include utility structure adjustments, roadway repairs, pavement milling, drainage improvements, and other activities necessary to prepare the roads for paving.
Residents and motorists are encouraged to exercise caution when traveling through active work zones. Please reduce speeds, obey all posted traffic control devices, and expect occasional delays. Access to homes and businesses will be maintained whenever possible, although temporary inconveniences may occur during construction operations.
The Town of Watertown appreciates the public's patience and cooperation as these important infrastructure improvements are completed. These roadway projects are designed to improve ride quality, enhance safety, and extend the service life of the Town's road network.
Additional project updates and paving schedules will be provided as work progresses.
Summer Is the Perfect Time to Inspect and Replace Your Mailbox
While winter storms may seem far away, the Town of Watertown Highway Department is encouraging residents to use the summer months to inspect, repair, or replace their mailboxes before snow season arrives.
Each winter, snowplow operations can put stress on mailboxes that are improperly installed, damaged, loose, rotted, or positioned too close to the roadway. Taking time now to ensure your mailbox is properly installed can help avoid problems during winter storms and improve mail delivery year-round.
The Town reminds residents that mailbox damage reimbursement policies only apply in limited situations involving direct contact with snowplows. Mailboxes that fail due to poor condition, improper installation, or snow cast from the plow are generally not covered.
According to guidance from the United States Postal Service (USPS), proper mailbox placement helps improve delivery safety and reduces the chance of damage during snow removal operations.
Residents should ensure:
- The mailbox face is positioned 6–8 inches back from the curb.
- The mailbox height is approximately 41–45 inches from the road surface.
- The support post is sturdy and in good condition.
- The post is buried approximately 24 inches deep for stability.
- The mailbox does not overhang the roadway.
“Summer is the ideal time for homeowners to inspect their mailboxes before harsh winter conditions arrive,” said the Watertown Highway Department. “A properly installed mailbox not only protects your property but also helps our crews safely and efficiently clear roads during winter storms.”
USPS Mailbox Installation Guidelines - Schematic