A week after being shut down due to flash floods damaging the pavement and bridge, Old Post Road has been fully reopened to traffic.
The Department of Public Works (DPW) posted the news on Facebook at 3 p.m. Sept. 26, thanking residents for their patience and thanking the Highway Division for completing the work in “such a short period of time.”
DPW Director Mark Hollowell said most of the repairs centered around the Old Post Bridge.
According to Hollowell, flash flooding caused by an overflow of the Seven-Mile River washed away gravel from the bridge’s edges, making it dangerous for vehicles to traverse.
“The bridge itself had a lot of scouring,” Hollowell said. “The material that holds the edge of the bridge got washed away to the side.”
Hollowell said his team at the DPW moved expeditiously to begin repairs on the bridge and road on Sept. 20. New equipment purchased by the department, including a pavement roller, was used to cover asphalt and granite in the damaged areas, according to Hollowell.
After a week of work and an inspection by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the bridge and road were reopened for vehicle use.
“Because the damages were non-structural, we had to do a lot of work,” Hollowell said. “We made sure that we went through all the spaces on the bridge.”
In addition to the work being brisk, Hollowell said the repairs were inexpensive.
“We didn’t need a lot of outside help,” Hollowell said. “Most of the work was done in-house, so instead of spending $75,000 to $100,000 on work we only spent around $15,000 to $20,000.”
Even though he considers the reopening of Old Post Road a success, Hollowell said his department is still working on repairs to other areas affected by the recent flooding in North Attleborough—including road repairs on Draper Avenue and re-paving the drainage structure on Hoppin Hill Road.
“Even though things are back up and running, there is still more work to do,” Hollowell said. “There’s also work on private roads that we are doing.”
