Page 6 • July 11, 2018 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • New England States Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide
Contractors Protest LePage Holding Up Bonds in Maine BONDS from page 1
weeks. That means, he said, it appears the state can sell the bonds later. Senate Republican President Mike Thibodeau said the governor seemed interested in selling bonds, and that lawmakers also could consider legislation to give Hayes some authority to release certain bonds herself. House Republican Leader Ken Fredette, meanwhile, said he hopes the bonds will instead be sold in July. Democratic House Speaker Sara Gideon said LePage was jeopardizing jobs, $117 million dollars of state borrowing and the state’s credit and bond ratings. LePage’s spokesman Peter Steele blamed independent state treasurer and gubernatorial candidate Terry Hayes for not rescheduling the bond closing or providing additional time. “The governor wanted to wait until the end of the session, preferably until Veto Day to determine how much excessive spending the Legislature was seeking before going out for the bonds,” Steele said, referring to the day when lawmakers consider the gover-
nor’s vetoes. Hayes provided a June 1 memo initialed by LePage detailing bond offerings planned. The bonds that are held up include $8 million for port, harbor and marine transport upgrades; $25 million for commercialization and research and development; and $80 million for in-progress highway and bridge projects. Hayes said the governor asked Hayes to delay the bond offerings until the Legislature finished its work. But Hayes said she could only give LePage an extra 24 hours to formally sign the bonds. Hayes warned that LePage’s tactics means it could cost taxpayers more to sell the bonds later due to rising interest rates and the uncertainty. Hayes said her office began returning money deposits from interested bidders. “How stable is the Maine state government if we can’t follow through on our purchase and sale agreement?” she asked. (This story also can be found on Construction Equipment Guide’s website at www.constructionequipmentguide.com.)
Water Street Bridge Replacement Officials Release Details Project Begins in Saugus, Wakefield About Wind Farm Project Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree and the Department of Public Works announced that construction began June 25 to replace the Water Street Bridge to build a new, safer and more reliable bridge on Route 129 at the Saugus/Wakefield border. The existing 100-year-old granite pillar bridge will be swapped for a new, 12-ft. by 5-ft. reinforced concrete boxed culvert. New guardrails will be installed, and the area will be freshly paved. Last year, the town was awarded a $500,000 grant through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Municipal Small Bridge Program to replace the existing 15-ft. bridge, which is more than 100 years old and in poor condition. The town manager accepted the award during a ceremony at the Massachusetts State House, where he was joined by Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, MassDOT Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack, Highway Administrator Thomas Tinlin, and other municipal award recipients. The Municipal Small Bridge Program allows this bridge project to be funded entirely through the grant, saving the taxpayers of Saugus $500,000 in projected engineering design and construction costs.
“I would like to thank Lt. Governor Polito, MassDOT Secretary and CEO Pollack, Highway Administrator Tinlin, and the Department of Transportation for their support and investment in the Town of Saugus and its infrastructure,” said Crabtree. “The Water Street Bridge is frequently used each day for emergency, essential, and commercial and industrial services. Important infrastructure repairs such as this are critical for the safety and convenience of the community.” Construction began the week of June 25, 2018. The majority of the project work will take place Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Parking will be restricted in work areas during this construction project. One lane of traffic will be open at the project location for most of the duration of the project. Some work will be completed on weekends, during which time the roadway will be temporarily closed and traffic will be rerouted. This work is scheduled to be completed July 13-16, and July 20-23, weather depending. (This story also can be found on Construction Equipment Guide’s website at www.constructionequipmentguide.com.)
Emily Buenzle CEG WEB EDITOR
Rhode Island officials joined developer Deepwater Wind in providing some details about the “Revolution Wind” project at the Port of Providence. The $250 million offshore wind farm will bring power to tens of thousands of homes as it makes Rhode Island a wind industry leader, WPRI reported. Deepwater Wind, which was chosen for the project the week of May 21, said it plans to invest the $250 million required for the project itself and will not take any state tax incentives or credits, WPRI reported. When the project is complete, state residents will be able to purchase power from the wind farm via National Grid. The wind farm is expected to provide power for more than 200,000 Rhode Island homes. The Specs According to the company, the wind farm will be located in federal waters between Martha’s Vineyard and Block Island, and will span 10 times larger than the one on Block Island. Up to 50 wind turbines will populate the site; their components will be built both in and out of Rhode Island, according to Deepwater Wind CEO Jeff Grybowski. The project is expected to create more than 800 construction jobs, officials said. Construction is expected to begin in 2020, with a completion date of 2023, WPRI reported. (This story also can be found on Construction Equipment Guide’s website at www.constructionequipmentguide.com.)