Department of Public Works
MassDOT and Springfield DPW Issue Traffic Notice for Putts Bridge into Ludlow
****TRAFFIC NOTICE****
The City of Springfield has been notified by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) that Emergency Bridge Repairs will be required on the Putts Bridge (Route 21) between Springfield and Ludlow. Prior to the work being started, the bridge will be posted for weight limits for various size vehicles by MassDOT. It is not known at this time when the repairs will exactly begin, but the weight limit posting and detour routes will be installed by MassDOT on or before April 2, 2024.
Please take note of the weight restrictions to be posted.
MassDOT has prepared the attached detour plan that should be followed by vehicles that exceed the posted limit.
| Statutory Posting (OLD) | New Posting |
2 Axle Trucks | 20 tons | 17 tons |
3 Axle Trucks | 25 tons | 20 tons |
5 Axle Trucks | 36 tons | 33 tons |
MassDOT also states that due to the capacity of the structure, waivers for emergency vehicles cannot be issued.
MassDOT has prepared the attached detour plan that should be followed by vehicles that exceed the posted limit.
St. James Avenue and Tapley Street Reconstruction
****ATTENTION RESIDENTS****
Major Traffic Impacts and Detours Announced by Springfield DPW and MassDOT
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is in the process of reconstructing the St. James Avenue and Tapley Street Intersection into a roundabout. Construction activities for this season have begun, however, beginning in the next few weeks, we expect that there will be major disruptions to the roadway layout, roadway grade, roadway / business access, turning movements, etc.
Beginning the week of April 8, 2024, the contractor, Morais Concrete, will begin full depth roadway reconstruction that will include significant excavation and grade modification in the project area that will result in lane modifications and road closures during the work days.
The following schedule is tentative and additional information will be provided as the dates get closer.
Week of March 25 & April 1, 2024 – the existing traffic signals will be removed and temporary traffic signals will be activated. Island removal work will begin.
Week of April 8, 2024 +/- – Stage 1 of 3 of the full depth reconstruction will begin with the removal of the islands on St. James Avenue. This removal will require lane closures in both directions of the roadway
Week of April 15, 2025 +/- – Stage 2 of 3 of the full depth reconstruction will begin with significant change in grade of the area on the west side of St. James Avenue, where Tapley Street crosses Route 291. During this period of time, access to the Tapley St. Bridge over Route 291 will be closed during the day and traffic will not be able to access the bridge in either direction. The bridge will be open to traffic during no-work hours.
Week of April 22, 2024 +/- – Stage 3 of 3 of the full depth reconstruction will begin with significant grade changes occurring on the east side of the intersection which will require the full closure of Tapley Street during work hours. Access to all adjacent properties will be maintained.
Once the full depth reconstruction is complete on or around May 1, construction of the actual roundabout will begin. There will be disruptions to traffic flow during this period, however, it is envisioned that minimal road closures will be required. Due to the construction activities during this period of work, traffic flow in all directions through the construction area will be challenged.
Detour Routes – Over the next two weeks, the contractor will be installing variable message signs along with static signs alerting drivers to the proposed detour routes around the construction area.
2024 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Schedule
2024 Spring Schedule
Saturday April 6th 8:00-Noon
Saturday April 27th 8:00-Noon
Saturday May 18th 8:00-Noon
by Appointment Only 736-3111
New Location DPW 70 Tapley St, Springfield
Springfield DPW to Begin Yard Waste Collection April 2, 2024
Springfield, MA – The City of Springfield’s Department of Public Works announced today that they will begin the collection of yard waste starting Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Yard waste will be collected on the same day as recycling is collected.
Please be aware that paper yard waste bags that have been left out all winter will not be picked up and will need to be re-bagged by the resident. Barrels that contain yard waste will be picked up; however, they cannot have any accumulated water in the barrels.
The Solid Waste Division reminds residents to place yard waste curbside on their recycling day. Yard waste and leaves should be placed loosely in a 32-gallon barrel with handles or in special paper thirty (30) gallon capacity leaf bags. These bags can be purchased at local grocery or hardware stores. Yard waste is defined as: grass clippings, weeds, hedge clippings, garden waste, as well as twigs and brush. Twigs and brush should not be longer than two (2) feet in length and one-half (1/2) inch in diameter. Bags and barrels shall not weigh more than 40 lbs. when full.
The DPW will also pick up branches. Branches can be no wider than 3" in diameter and no longer than 4' and must be tied for pickup in manageable sized bundles.
Residents will still be able to drop off their yard waste at the City of Springfield Landfill at Bondi’s Island at no charge during regular operating hours. Hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 3:15 pm, and Saturday’s from 7:00 am to 12:00 pm.
For additional information on collection days residents can call the City’s 311 Call Center at (413) 736-3111.
St James Ave & Tapley Street Traffic Upgrades
The proposed project consists of constructing a roundabout in place of the existing signal at the project location. Pedestrian and bicycle accommodations will be provided in the form of raised shared-use paths, generally 10 feet wide except on the Tapley Street bridge, where an at-grade area for bicycle and pedestrian travel will be provided along the south side. High-visibility crosswalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps, and rectangular rapid flashing beacons are proposed to be provided across each leg of the roundabout to facilitate safe crossings. The left turn onto the on-ramp from St. James Avenue northbound to I-291 westbound is proposed to be signalized.
Helpful Links
DPW Offices
Department of Public Works Contact Information
For Issues Related to:
| Contact 311 or 736-3111 |
DPW Excavation and Occupancy Permits | Contact: Patrick Garrity pgarrity@springfieldcityhall.com dpwpermits@springfieldcityhall.com Phone: 787-6584 |
Traffic Commission and Board of Public Work Issues | Contact: Hector Velez hvelez@springfieldcityhall.com Phone: 784-4891 |
Site Plan Reviews | Contact: Andrew Krar Phone: 784-4884 |
DPW Contracts | Contact: Peggy Merrill pmerrill@springfieldcityhall.com Phone: 750-2728 |
Other DPW Questions | Phone: 787-6474 |
Immediate Changes to Bulk Pickup
Due to issues surrounding the Coronavirus, the DPW will be enacting the following immediately.
All mattresses and Box Springs to be picked up as part of the City Bulk Collection Services must be placed in plastic mattress bags. These disposal bags are available at Lowe’s, Home Depot, Walmart, and through Amazon, as well as other retailers. If the mattresses and box springs are not properly placed in the bags, they will not be picked up. Mattress plastic bags that come with the purchase of a new mattress / box spring can be reused as long as they are 100% sealed with duct tape. This policy will continue indefinitely until rescinded by the Director of the Department of Public Works.
Permits
All utilities and contractors must be in good standings with the Engineering Division of DPW, which includes 2019 annual utility or contractor license fee and supporting documents. Please contact Patrick Garrity at dpwpermits@springfieldcityhall.com or 413-787-6584 with any questions, as well as to obtain the most current version of the Occupancy Manual.
City Continues Push to Keep Trash out of Recycling Barrel
While the single stream recycling program has doubled the recycling rate of the City, it has not come without some challenges. The biggest challenge facing the program is the putting of non-recyclable items in the blue recycling carts.
Recycling barrels that contain non-recyclable items will be tagged with an orange sticker and not collected. The resident will have to remove the items and put it out on their next collection day.
Hazardous materials and other non-recyclable items placed into recycling containers caused the contamination of 6 loads of recyclable materials in April.
One of the truck loads of recyclable material was contaminated by tar improperly disposed of in the recycling cart. Almost half of the contents of the entire truck were contaminated and had to be hauled to a landfill.
To some it may seem harmless to toss a rogue item into a recycling container. However, we want to make sure people understand that it's far from harmless. The simple act of placing oil or any other non-recyclable material into a recycling container can contaminate an entire load of clean recyclables.
The City will be launching an education campaign to inform residents as to what you can and cannot put in the recycling barrel. The "10 most unwanted list" flyer will be put in the May 28th edition of The Republican and also posted on the City website. This list is comprised of the 10 most commonly found non-recyclable items found in the blue recycling barrel. Flyers will also be available for free at your local library, community center, senior center or by calling customer service at #311.
The City will be utilizing grants from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the Springfield MRF Advisory Board in order to fund this outreach initiative.
"Please have your items at the curb by 6:30 am on your Recycling Day for collection."
DPW Pothole Hotline 736-3111
Clearing your Catch Basin Helps Everyone!
Please be advised that it is every property owner’s responsibility to keep their catch basins clear of leaves and debris. There are approximately 23,000 catch basins in the City and we do not have enough personnel to keep up with the demand of removing leaves and litter from the surface of the catch basins.
Also, please note that clean catch basins are instrumental in the proper drainage of streets, this is extremely important during the winter months when the thawing and refreezing of snow banks occurs. We thank you for your consideration and cooperation in this matter.
