Liberty Utilities to Start Central Square Gas Line Replacement on July 13

The company will replace aging 8-inch cast iron natural gas mains on both sides of Central Square, along with a stretch of West Street.

Keene’s downtown overhaul is about to become visible, with Liberty Utilities set to begin gas line replacement work on Monday, July 13 around Central Square before the city’s larger reconstruction effort fully ramps up.

The company will replace aging 8-inch cast iron natural gas mains on both sides of Central Square, along with a stretch of West Street. Crews are scheduled to start near the Court Street traffic circle, then work south past downtown businesses and continue around the corner toward Roxbury Street. The job is projected to last a little more than three weeks, though the timeline could shift if crews encounter unexpected underground conditions.

Work hours are expected to run weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with parking spaces reopened at the end of each day when possible. Temporary parking loss will affect the west side of Central Square in front of several businesses, while spaces on the north and east sides should remain available during the first phase. Drivers should also be prepared for short-term closures of the West Street slip lane from Central Square, along with lane shifts in place of major road closures.

At Wednesday’s second monthly Coffee and Hard Hats meeting at the Transportation Center, Keene Public Works Director Don Lussier told downtown business owners that much of the progress since the first June meeting has happened off-site, including a pre-construction conference with contractors and engineers and reviews of traffic control plans and other paperwork required before fieldwork can begin.

Steve Rokes of Liberty Utilities said the utility is taking advantage of the city project to replace infrastructure that is already old. He added that only one downtown business is expected to lose gas service temporarily, since most buildings in the area are connected from the rear. Liberty plans to contact any affected businesses directly and keep workers on site throughout the operation.

Casella Construction, which is handling the city’s $26 million Downtown Infrastructure Project, is also getting ready to move in. Project superintendent Brian said the company will set up its staging area in the large gravel lot north of the former railroad coal silos and will begin bringing in equipment, drainage materials, pipe, storage containers and a job trailer over the next several weeks. Lussier said residents should not expect the most obvious construction activity from Casella until early August, describing the early phase as a gradual start.

The meeting also included an update on a proposed solar pavilion for the municipal parking area near the Transportation Center. Lussier said the idea developed from discussions involving the Conservation Commission and the city’s Energy and Climate Committee, blending downtown tree planting goals with renewable energy plans.

The wood-framed structure would extend about 230 feet and hold enough solar panels to produce electricity comparable to what the city uses downtown for street lighting, public events and other municipal needs. It could also provide covered space for the farmers market, festivals and other community gatherings. The design remains in progress and is expected to go before the Municipal Services, Facilities and Infrastructure Committee later this month after a public informational meeting. Construction is not planned for this year, with bidding expected this winter and possible building work next year.

Questions about tree removal and landscaping continue to come up among downtown stakeholders. Lussier said some trees will need to come out because of disease or conflicts with new underground utilities, but the final project is expected to include about 40% more trees than currently stand downtown. He said the amount of foliage will dip for a while because mature trees cannot be planted immediately, but the long-term result should be an increase in tree cover.

City staff said they are working to improve public access to information about which trees will be removed and intend to make landscape plans, tree analyses and planting details easier to find.

Concerns about service interruptions were also raised. Lussier said no scheduled electrical outages are expected because most buildings receive power from side streets and rear connections. The city said water shutoffs, if needed, would come with about a week’s notice, and door hangers would be delivered at least three days ahead of time. Officials also noted that although Spectrum is not replacing infrastructure as part of the project, there is still a possibility of accidental damage to telecommunications lines because some underground utilities are poorly documented.

Lussier urged property owners and business leaders to join the city’s Downtown Infrastructure Project email list for weekly updates on schedules, traffic changes and other impacts tied to the long-term work. The next Coffee and Hard Hats session is set for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, and Lussier said he hopes it can be held outdoors in Central Square if construction is far enough along.