Crews continue work on the Western Avenue utility crossing which involves temporarily relocating a section of Kresge Way which will open next week. Pedestrian and vehicular shifts on Western Avenue to accommodate underground utility trenches and work zones will be in place. The work will continue into summer 2023 and will be coordinated with University operations.
Kresge Way Temporary Relocation and Gas Line Relocation
As part of Harvard’s infrastructure improvements in Allston, the University is extending thermal piping and electrical/telecommunications duct banks from the District Energy Facility across Western Avenue to Kresge Way, the main driveway into the HBS campus.
Construction work for the new interim section of Kresge Way is finishing up, and traffic will relocate next week for the duration of the utility crossing work on Western Avenue. Early next week crews will be finalizing temp lighting and signage.
Also, the National Grid natural gas pipe relocation is complete.
Western Avenue Utility Crossing
Preparation work for the utility crossing at Western Avenue continues next week with more intensive activity beginning later this month. The work is expected to take 12-months to complete and will allow for expansion of the Harvard’s Allston energy infrastructure. Supporting vehicular, cycling and pedestrian flow, a phased approach is being used to install hot water and chilled water supply and return piping, telecommunications and electrical duct banks across the width of Western Ave. The construction activity consists of six phases to excavate two trenches the width of Western Avenue. Only a third of the roadway will be a construction zone allowing for two, open vehicular traffic lanes at all times, one in each direction.
- A detailed traffic management plan is in place always maintaining two lanes of traffic and will take advantage of the pedestrian rerouting to the sidewalk in front of the Harvard Business School for the sewer tie in closer to Hague Street on Western Avenue for the first phase of work this summer.
- Trenching work zones will be set up.
- Excavation for installation of piles for supporting the trenches will begin.
- Abutters can anticipate intermittent noise during excavation including use of a vacuum truck and drill rig.
- Appropriate signage and police details or workers will be in place. Work is scheduled to take place in close coordination with Business School/Housing/Transportation operations.
- Saturday work will take place on July 16th.
- During project hours 7AM to 3PM (at times may extend to 6PM), the work will generate noise due to the presence of work crews and the use of construction equipment.
DEF Thermal and Electrical Duct Bank Installation
- Work under the future East Drive to the future Treehouse Conference Center continues behind the construction fence with the Enterprise Research Campus (ERC) Phase 1A construction teams on the southside of Western Ave.
- All are working in coordination with National Resilience.
Sewer Tie-in at Western Avenue
A separate ERC enabling project’s month-long, sewer tie-in at Western Avenue closer to Hague Street is finishing up. Crews have finished up work and are backfilling with paving and roadway restoration on Western Avenue taking place starting on Monday, July 18 through the week. Pedestrian traffic has shifted to the Harvard Business School sidewalk between Hague Street and the National Resilience entrance, and vehicular traffic will shift around the sewer manhole and the work zone on Western Avenue. Traffic lanes will be maintained in both directions, and noise will be intermittent. Appropriate signage and police details or workers will be in place. The sewer connection work continues inside the ERC site after the Western Ave restoration is complete.
