By Dakota Antelman – [email protected]
Gas leaks under a newly repaved section of Concord Center kept work crews busy, slowed traffic, and frustrated town officials in recent months.
Assistant town engineer Justin Richardson said officials hope the problem is solved — but even if there are no more leaks, some are still sour about the situation.
With Patriots Day celebrations approaching, the clock is also ticking to finish final repairs.
Town Manager Kerry Lafleur outlined the issue in her February 7 town manager’s report, saying, “It is regrettable that National Grid did not seize the opportunity to upgrade their gas infrastructure” before Concord Public Works repaved the area.
National Grid spokesperson Christine Milligan acknowledged the leaks in a statement, saying crews “responded swiftly to reports of gas odors.” Milligan said crews made the necessary repairs: “Our infrastructure is operating safely,” she said.
‘Old infrastructure’
Efforts to improve the intersection of Main and Walden Streets started in 2023 and wrapped up last September.
State grant funding covered most of the project’s $230,000 cost.
Town engineer Steve Dookran said staff notify utility companies whenever they plan road work and encourage companies to take advantage to avoid unnecessarily digging into streets.
In this case, Dookran said National Grid had “lots of old infrastructure” in the area. He said National Grid told the town it wanted to replace a gas main. But after reviewing the project, Dookran said the utility decided it could not meet Concord’s schedule.
Recurring problems
Local officials touted the Concord Center project’s benefits to the community.
Within weeks, though, Richardson said, officials received a report of someone smelling gas.
Though the town discourages private digging in roads after repaving, he said, the gas leak was a safety issue. “We’re obviously not going to stand in the way with that,” he said.
Richardson described an ensuing Whac-a-Mole game involving new leaks and more repairs.
Crews would close one leak and wait for the smell of gas to dissipate. “Then we would smell it again,” Richardson said.
Lafleur said the most recent leak happened this month, marking the third since CPW finished repaving. Of the three incidents, Richardson said one was “a little more severe.”
Regard for the 250th
On February 13, Richardson said National Grid was “hopeful that they’ve found the last [leak].” Once they’re confident, he said, the utility has promised to repair the road.
Milligan said National Grid will restore the road to the town’s satisfaction. Though its work is weather-dependent, she said National Grid is aware of the upcoming celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution.
Milligan said crews will probably make final repairs in the early spring, before the 250th observances on April 19.
Richardson said CPW’s Engineering Division does not believe construction for the first part of last year’s project caused the leaks.
Given the old, shallow pipes, Richardson said, “it is possible” that National Grid believes vibrations from road work in the second part of the project were a contributing factor.
Moving forward, Dookran highlighted an effort to surge road repair spending over the next five years. The package needs Town Meeting approval.
If it proceeds, Dookran said its many benefits will include giving officials more flexibility to coordinate construction with utilities to avoid issues like the one in Concord Center.
