MassDOT Flood Response: Route 119 in Littleton

MassDOT crews have worked around the clock since last Wednesday to replace a collapsed culvert under Route 119 in Littleton.  The road is closed.  The culvert drains Spectacle Pond.  The collapse blocked water flow from the Pond, causing the water to rise.

MassDOT estimates Route 119 will remain closed until at least mid-next week while crews work to replace the culvert, which is 20 feet under the roadway. 

As of Monday morning, MassDOT was pumping approximately 20,000 gallons per minute, left, with five pumps to alleviate flooding conditions and prevent the road from being undermined.  By the end of today, with two additional pumps from Michigan expected to arrive, MassDOT will be pumping 64,000 gallons per minute.

The flooding is having the most impact on the Town of Ayer’s water supply, with one of its wells located next to Spectacle Pond and impacted by the flooding.  Voluntary evacuations were ordered in Littleton on Sunday for 12 houses in the area due to flooding.

MassDOT has been coordinating very closely with town officials since Wednesday.  MassDOT Highway Administrator Luisa Paiewonsky was on-site Monday morning meeting with town emergency officials to assess the situation and check on the hard work ongoing by MassDOT crews.

Comments

[Paul Greenough]

In deference to the turtles, I'm hoping that after this culvert is replaced, Gilson Road will be repaired as part of this project. It's currently handling the traffic load from Rt119 and crumbling more and more by the minute. I live off of Gilson and I'm afraid that after a few more weeks of this, it'll be reduced to a moonscape from it's current state of rutted wagon trail, not to mention the impact on the culvert over Gilson Brook and the rail crossing.

[taxpayer]

Ginny, You have got to be kidding! Peoples homes and water supplies are being "negatively" impacted. Turtles and wildlife will do just fine. Get some common sense before you post.

[Roger Wellington]

To anyone who has actually been to Spec Pond during this flooding, as I have, it is clear that bringing the pond level back to normal is vitally important, not just for the human beings that live in close proximity to the pond (and their water supplies), but also for the non-aquatic animal residents surrounding the pond. Burrows, dens, wildlife trails, nesting sites, normal vernal pools and other vital areas are all being negatively affected. Calling it a "natural" disaster doesn't make it any less disastrous for the terrestrial animal life made homeless or hungry.

[Ginny Bennett]

What is being done to protect the wildlife that live in and around Spectacle Pond? 64,000 gallons per minute must be having a devastatingly negative impact on turtles and other wildlife, which could not survive being trapped in the pumps and pipes.
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MassDOT Responds: Thank you for the question. MassDOT's Environmental Team is aware and involved. . The actions being taken are part of an emergency response related both to travel safety and safe drinking water.