The Centre Square access road is nearly complete, says City Engineer Ray Rogozinski, and construction crews are starting landscaping work.
“The road has been paved and has received its first coat of asphalt,” Rogozinski said. “The trees that you see there now are just at a temporary location. They will later be dug out and planted along the roadway, like you see on Main Street and North Main Street. They will also be putting down the brick work between the curbing soon. This work should be completed in another month and a half.”
The 1,000-foot Centre Square access road begins at the intersection of North Main and Laurel streets and cuts through Centre Square to Riverside Avenue.
Rogozinski said all utilities have been installed, but Eversource still has to connect the gas line to West Street and Laurel Street. The Laurel Street and North Main Street traffic signals will also be upgraded.
“They will have a new controller computer that is designed to register the additional movements we are expecting on those roads,” he said. New metal poles will be installed to support this equipment, replacing the wooden ones that are there now.”
As for the Bristol Hospital Ambulatory Care Center, blasting has been completed and rock removed to make room for the base of the building, now under construction.
The care center will house services for cardiology, endocrinology, diabetes, neurology, orthopedics, rheumatology and urology.
Chris Boyle, director of public relations for Bristol Hospital, said the project’s deveoper has told him that construction is on schedule.
A beam-signing ceremony is planned for Tuesday, Aug. 27, at 10:30 a.m., as the steel skeleton of the building is completed.
Kurt Barwis, president and CEO of Bristol Hospital, is expected to speak during the ceremony. Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu and local legislators will be invited to attend, along with local business leaders and hospital employees.