West Falmouth Sewer Project
This webpage is to provide important information and updates regarding the West Falmouth Sewer Project, which will enter construction phase in July 2022. The project includes upsizing the Falmouth Road Pump Station, its associated force main, and the sewer piping on Woods Road and Middle Road. These upgrades are critical to maintaining the efficient conveyance and treatment of wastewater, particularly from West Falmouth.
Click the subscribe button to sign up for project updates. Or click here.
Select 'West Falmouth Sewer Project' under News or Announcements Updates.
Then select the 'Subscribe Me' button on the bottom.
Update (March 29): Pipe installation on Middle Road will resume on Monday, April 3 (weather permitting) with the replacement of pipe suspended under the Falmouth Spur bridge. This work will result in single lane bridge traffic on Middle Road for approximately six weeks, weather dependent. There will also be lane closures on the Falmouth Spur. Site restoration and final paving will follow. Please exercise caution in these work zones.
Update (March 6): West Falmouth sewer improvements continue with the upgrade of the Falmouth Road Pump Station starting tomorrow, March 7. The Falmouth Road Pump Station is located at the Falmouth Road parking area and main entrance for the McCrann Preserve trail network. As the first phase of the work will be in close proximity to the edge of the roadway, the contractor will close one lane of Falmouth Road tomorrow, March 7 between 8:30am and 5:00pm to perform the work. Flaggers will be in place to help control traffic through the area.
Update (March 3): The McCrann Preserve trailhead at 309 Falmouth Road will be closed beginning Monday, March 6 through early summer as part of the West Falmouth Sewer Project and associated upgrades to the Falmouth Road Pump Station. Trail access is availalbe at the trailhead on the Falmouth Schools Campus.
Update (December 12): Middle Road between Bucknam and Lunt Roads will remain closed this evening, Monday, December 12, and into tomorrow morning on Tuesday, December 13 while the contractor completes final connections beneath the roadway.
Update (December 9): Weather permitting, Middle Road between Bucknam Road and Lunt Road will be closed on Monday, December 12, to allow contractors to make the final tie-in to the sewer line in the street. The closure is anticipated to last only one day.
Update (November 10): Middle Road, between Lunt and Bucknam Roads, is now open to traffic. Work continues from the Bucknam Road intersection to the roundabout with one of lane of alternating traffic directed by flaggers. We anticipate this work finishing up in the next couple of weeks once the installed sewer line is tested and then the road is paved. Once paving is complete, construction will cease on Middle Road until spring. In the spring, the contractor will return to replace the sewer pipe that is hanging on the bridge over the spur highway. This will entail one lane traffic over the bridge for a duration of about one month.
Work to replace sewer piping across Lunt Road will begin near the train tracks this week. We anticipate at least 2 days of single lane traffic on Lunt Road next week to complete this work.
A section of Woods Road has been reduced to one lane with alternating traffic directed by a traffic signal. This work will continue into next week and then move from Woods Road into the Woodlands neighborhood.
Update (October 31): Work on Middle Road is proceeding nicely. Finish pavement will start on Wednesday, and we hope to re-open the section of Middle Road between Lunt and Bucknam Road by the end of next week. We hope the sewer main line installation will reach the bridge over the Spur by the end of this week. After the pipe and manholes are tested, this section of the road will also be paved. The Contractor will then complete replacement of a section of sewer off-road between Middle and Lunt Road and then crossing Lunt Road later in November. From there, work within the Woodlands will commence in the next couple of weeks. Please remember to travel safely through our work zones. Thanks again for your patience!
Update (September 23): Sewer construction along Middle Road is proceeding smoothly. The contractor has advanced through the Bucknam Road intersection and is continuing up Middle Road towards the rotary. We will be replacing the culvert that carries Skitterygusset Stream across Middle Road in the next few days. Middle Road south of Bucknam Road will remain closed and traffic control measures in the intersection will remain in place for a couple more weeks while the work advances further away from the intersection.
Update (September 7): Sewer construction continues along Middle Road and will likely enter the Middle Road/Bucknam Road intersection as early as tomorrow, September 8, 2022. There will be significant impacts to traffic during this phase of construction. Middle Road south of the intersection will remain closed. The intersection traffic lights will be turned off and traffic will be controlled by flaggers. Only one direction of traffic will be allowed to proceed through the intersection at a time. Residents will have access to their properties and businesses will remain accessible. Motorists are advised to avoid the intersection to reduce congestion. If you must travel this way, please proceed slowly and with caution through the construction zone. Thank you for your patience during this important project.
Traffic Flow (see map below).
- Traffic traveling south on Middle Road will be allowed to turn east onto Bucknam Road or west onto Falmouth Road but will enter Falmouth Road in the eastbound lane.
- Traffic traveling east on Falmouth Road will be allowed to turn north onto Middle Road or proceed straight on Bucknam Road.
- Traffic traveling west on Bucknam Road will be allowed to turn north onto Middle Road or east onto Falmouth Road, entering the intersection in the eastbound lane.
Please note, this traffic pattern may be adjusted as necessary during the construction period.
Update (August 29): Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 30, the Contractor will be installing their bypass pumping system which will allow them to work through the Bucknam Road/Middle Road intersection while maintaining sewer flow down Middle Road. This work will consist of cutting a shallow trench through the intersection. During this work, the Contractor will shut off the intersection traffic lights and manage traffic with flaggers, posted at each entrance to the intersection (Middle Road south of Bucknam Road will remain closed). The flaggers will alternate traffic one at a time from each entrance to the intersection. To avoid peak morning traffic, this work will not begin until 9:00 am.
The work to install the bypass pumping system is expected to be complete tomorrow and will serve as a dry run for the actual pipe installation which will occur starting later this week or early next week. If all goes well tomorrow, the Contractor plans to employ the same traffic maintenance strategy to install pipe through the intersection. If any tweaks are needed, the Contractor will adjust, including potential use of night work, blue lights, or a different traffic pattern. This traffic pattern will be in place until the pipe installation has progressed north of the intersection a sufficient distance so that traffic is not backing up into the intersection.
Update (August 23): Thus far, over 850 feet of pipe and 3 manholes have been installed on Middle Road. Progress has been slower than anticipated. If you have driven by the area, you may have a pretty good guess as to why – you can hear the bang-bang-bang a ways away. The Contractor is working to remove ledge from the new sewer pipe alignment so they can get the pipe on grade. Thank you to all the neighbors and residents for their interest in the project and patience with the process as we work on this important project!
We anticipate that by the end of next week, we will be approaching the Bucknam/Middle Intersection. Traffic patterns will change as work proceeds through the Bucknam/Middle Intersection, so please pay attention to signs and flaggers. And as always, please travel safely through work zones!
Update (July 25): The Contractor started mobilizing this morning, July 25 but held off on initiating the detour because of the weather report and pending thunderstorms. The detour is expected to be initiated tomorrow, July 26.
UPDATE (July 18): Construction along Middle Road will begin on Monday, July 25, starting at Lunt Road and ending at the Woods Road roundabout. The construction is expected to last into September. As part of this work, Middle Road will be completely closed between Lunt and Bucknam Roads for several weeks beginning on Monday, July 25. Motorists will be detoured to Falmouth Road. Residents on Middle Road will be allowed access to their properties throughout the closure.
UPDATE (July 13): On Monday, July 25, work will begin on Middle Road, starting at Lunt Road and ending at the Woods Road roundabout. Beginning Monday, July 25, Middle Road will be closed to through traffic from Lunt to Bucknam Road. Motorists will be detoured to Falmouth Road. Residents along Middle Road will have access to their properties throughout the construction. This closure will continue for several weeks. Work along Middle Road is anticipated to continue into September. The chart below indicates a tentative schedule for the upcoming work, including various locations and the anticipated impact to traffic. Note, this is a tentative schedule and subject to change.
Resources and Information
Focus on Wastewater--Bryanna Denis, Professional Engineer and Project Manager for WrightPierce (an environmental engineering firm providing consulting services to the Town of Falmouth) and Falmouth Town Manager, Nathan Poore, examine the history of Falmouth’s wastewater collection and treatment systems, the issues surrounding West Falmouth’s connectivity to the current system, and the plans to upgrade and improve the system for current and future needs. These articles first appeared in The Falmouth Focus in October 2020 and April 2021.
West Falmouth Sewer Master Plan
