City Councilor Michael S. McGonagle, a downtown business owner, expressed concern over ongoing street closures.
Haverhill Planning and Economic Development Director William Pillsbury Jr.
Haverhill Economic Development and Planning Director William Pillsbury Jr. anticipates a “real reduction in the need for total closures” at the eastern end of Merrimack Street, “in the days ahead,” for the ongoing Harbor Place construction project.
Thursday, a third day of temporary closures this week on Merrimack Street, between the Herbert H. Goecke Jr. Memorial Parking Deck and Pentucket Bank, was “actually the city water department and not the project,” according to Pillsbury. He responded to an inquiry, by e-mail, from City Councilor Michael S. McGonagle over concern “the cost of two detail officers gets expensive.” The e-mail was also copied to city public safety officials, neighboring businesses and WHAV. Earlier this week, Dellbrook requested and received permission to reschedule a normal Thursday closure to Wednesday.
“To date we have been working with Dellbrook (Construction) and trying to meet their requests for closures as the project is really at ‘crunch time’ to meet all of our deadlines with the state,” Pillsbury said. “Our protocol has been two days per week and we have pretty much stuck to that.”
Pillsbury added he was unaware the water department would shut down the Harbor Place portion Thursday and one lane would be reopened to traffic before the afternoon. “We should be seeing a real reduction in the need for total closures in the days ahead as much of the large crane work is winding down.”
Pillsbury also told McGonagle he would “continue to communicate regularly with
Dellbrook and try to stay ahead of any closures.”
busibess owner? slave trader