WILLIAMSBURG — The state’s Department of Fish and Game has awarded the town $74,000 to survey a failing culvert underneath Old Goshen Road.
The current culvert was installed by the town as an emergency culvert in 2012 when a large storm caused the original culvert to blow out — but the emergency culvert is now in a state of emergency.
Flooding on Old Goshen Road occurs annually, sometimes three times a year, due to the inadequate 3-foot plastic corrugated pipe that conveys water from an unnamed tributary of the Mill River. Its size is problematic, and water flows at extreme velocities during downpours.
If the culvert is not addressed, the road is at threat of sinking, said Town Administrator Nick Caccamo.
The town of Williamsburg will use a $74,000 state grant to study the best way to replace this existing culvert on Old Goshen Road. Courtesy/Town of Williamsburg 
The town of Williamsburg will use a $74,000 state grant to study the best way to replace this existing culvert on Old Goshen Road. Courtesy/Town of Williamsburg
From an environmental and conservation perspective, the stream is also classified as a cold-water fishery and its low water temperatures support marine life throughout the year. The current conditions are preventing fish from traveling due to the intense velocity of flowing water, as well as periodic clogging.
During the study on the culvert, a borings, soil and hydraulic analysis will be conducted. The study will also recommend a structure type based on the terrain, and provide a cost estimate to replace the culvert.
Caccamo said the culvert has been a “perennial problem,” and that the study is a vital first step in its rehabilitation. The grant was acquired with the help of Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, which wrote the grant request.
It is unclear how much the culvert will cost to bring up to par once the review is completed, said Caccamo.
The town last replaced a culvert five years ago on Depot Road, when it used a $750,000 grant from Mass Works to fund the project.
But that price tag is not an accurate indicator, he explained, because the Depot Road culvert is much larger. Additionally, such repairs have become more expensive since then.
The issue of rundown culverts is not unique to Williamsburg, which is why the state recently dispersed some $2.9 million in total funding for such projects in communities across the commonwealth.
“Massachusetts has over 25,000 culverts, most of which are undersized,” Rebecca Tepper, secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, said in statement. “By replacing these outdated culverts with larger, safer structures, we can better prepare our communities for severe weather.”
