Because of delays due to lack of supplies and a delayed contractor, Newtown Public Works is running approximately a month behind on the summer’s proposed road work, Public Works Director Fred Hurley told The Newtown Bee July 30.

As of the end of last month, patch paving on Hattertown (3,000 feet), Kent (400 feet), Old Castle Drive (1,075 feet), Plumtrees (1,380 feet), Taunton Hill (2,500 feet) and Taunton Lake (6,700 feet) are finished, and the department is looking to move on to Albert’s Hill (1,840 feet) and Echo Valley (1,720 feet) next. All the completed sections are candidates for chip sealing next year to help extend the life of the roads.

Hurley added that his department has been grouping patch-pave areas that are close together for efficiency. He mentioned that some residents dread hearing their road will be receiving chip sealing instead of paving, but the town has been successful in recent years extending the life of certain road surfaces by using this alternative.

Aquarion contractors are also continuing work installing piping for a new water main that will help connect two of its water lines between Newtown and Sandy Hook. It will allow the Sandy Hook section to start receiving chlorinated water, which will provide those who take advantage of a public hookup better quality and protection from bacteria. The town has completed reprofiling the intersection of Riverside Road and Washington Road, but there is still at least a day or two of additional paving and work to be done, Hurley said.

The main Riverside Road project will install approximately 10,720 feet of water main as part of an ongoing program to improve Aquarion’s water distribution system. Crews will excavate portions of the road and install the line section by section over the course of about three months. Workers will then put in temporary patches over the excavated areas that will remain over this winter.

Stratford-based Burns Construction Company is the contractor for the water main extension project.

An additional water main project on Alpine Drive, which will replace 5,200 feet of water line in that area, will be completed later in 2021. By the summer of 2022, all involved surfaces will be repaved.

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said once repaving is completed, residents will no longer be able to hook into the system on an elective basis. After that, only emergencies like well failure or the health department requiring a resident to hook into the system will be accommodated.

Hurley recently told selectmen the town will receive $220,000 from Aquarion to help pay for repaving after the water line installation is completed. That amount is a percentage of the total cost of repaving the road.

On another matter, Hurley said the town is waiting for its subcontractor, Tilcon, to pave Founder’s Lane, Sherman, and Sugar Loaf. The town is also looking at including Farrell in that round.

A few of those areas are waiting to have drainage work completed before patch paving can commence. Late delivery of drainage pipes is currently holding up work, putting the town one to two months behind, said Hurley.

While the town does have some of the necessary materials, it will not direct contractors begin work without enough materials on hand to finish the job.

“Contractors want to be able to finish the job so they can move on to their next project,” Hurley said.

Once Tilcon is in town, “a lot will happen very rapidly,” according to Hurley, with overlays planned on Leopard (1,600 square feet) and Liberty (1,100 square feet).

“We’re hoping they’ll be done before Labor Day,” said Hurley.

The Gorman Group of Albany, N.Y., will be arriving in late August to do the town’s chip sealing projects.

Additionally, the town will be line striping the repaved roads. Hurley said the town hopes to get striping done in two rounds, but paving delays have meant that striping will be done in three or four rounds.

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Reporter Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.