Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Ward 1 City Councilor Maria Perez, and Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Christopher Cignoli, in cooperation with the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission (SWSC), are updating residents on the status of investigatory and construction work related to Riverside Road and Orchard Street in the North End of Springfield.
In late 2023, the DPW initiated a significant geotechnical investigation / study to determine the cause of sinkholes that were occurring in the area of the Riverside Road / Orchard Street intersection.
Riverside Road, especially at the Orchard Street area, has a significant amount of large sized utilities within the roadway that are integrated with the City’s nearly 90-year-old Flood Protection System that runs along the entire length of the roadway. The Flood Protection System is owned and maintained by the City of Springfield, but its regulatory agency is the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE).
Over the course of the last year and a half, the City’s consultant, GZA, has completed soils investigation, soil borings, utility analysis, as well as a detailed flow mapping of groundwater movement in the area. While the work to date has not identified a specific cause for the soil movement / sink holes, a number of possibilities have been ruled out. What has been determined is that area of concern is over 20 feet below grade.
During the winter 2024 / 2025, the consultant team created a subsurface mapping document that shows areas where potential “underground transport of materials” may be occurring that result in sinkholes at the surface. Also, during the same period, the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission was required to upgrade and replace their complex network of water piping / services in that area. That work is nearing completion and the roadway area will be restored and re-opened for traffic in the next few weeks.
The City of Springfield and SWSC are reviewing all of the study information and there will be a joint submission to the US Army Corps of Engineers in the coming weeks to determine what additional investigation and / or construction is warranted.
Mayor Sarno states, “I am proud of my administration’s efforts to continue to invest into our infrastructure, especially at key and vital locations such as Riverside Road in our North End neighborhood which is located along the Flood Protection System. Thank you to our DPW team led by Chris Cignoli, and the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission for working together to address these concerns. Special thanks to Ward 1 City Councilor Maria Perez and Jose Claudio, COO and the New North Citizens Council, they both strongly advocated and delivered for their neighborhood working very closely with my administration. The results of the geotechnical engineering study will provide DPW, the Water and Sewer Commission and the Army Corps of Engineers with the information needed to better understand the conditions of our utilities under the surface so we can develop a comprehensive engineering plan to maintain and enhance this vital and core infrastructure system.”
Ward 1 City Councilor Maria Perez stated, “I want to thank Mayor Sarno, DPW Director Chris Cignoli and team for listening to my concerns for my ward, neighborhood and residents, and working together to take action on this situation. Riverside Road is a major corridor in our North End neighborhood and is an important part of our Flood Protection System and utilities, so its upkeep and maintenance are of the utmost importance. I am thrilled that this study and water & sewer upgrade work is nearly complete and the roadway will be shortly reopened. I look forward to continued collaboration with all of the parties involved to advance this vital and important infrastructure project in our North End neighborhood.”