Dudleyville Road on Wednesday afternoon in Leverett. Restoring or rebuilding the mostly gravel road, which is sometimes rendered impassable by heavy rainfall, will cost tiny Leverett $2 million to $4 million.
Work on improving the drainage on Dudleyville Road, a gravel road that connects the Moore's Corner part of Leverett to Montague Road in Shutesbury, resumes with tree work on Monday. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

LEVERETT — Work on improving the drainage on Dudleyville Road, a gravel road that connects the Moore’s Corner part of Leverett to Montague Road in Shutesbury, resumes with tree work on Monday.

Crews from Northern Tree will be on site about a week before the general contractor, Ludlow Construction Inc., returns.

The 1.4-mile long project, which began last October and is being funded through a $1 million grant from the MassWorks Infrastructure program, includes replacing existing drainage culverts that cross the road and improving drainage swales along the road, both of which will serve to better control stormwater.

Dudleyville has been plagued with challenges for residents in recent years due, in part, to climate change, with wetter and milder winters creating more problematic mud seasons.

Active construction will cause the road to close to through traffic weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents who live along the road may need to get to their homes via the Shutesbury end of the road, and slower traffic is expected.

Those with questions about the project should contact either Town Administrator Margie McGinnis at townadminstrator@leverett.ma.us or at 413-548-9699 or Highway Superintendent Matt Boucher at highway@leverett.ma.us or at 413-548-9400.

Public comment will also be open at Select Board meetings starting in April, and occasional project progress meetings could be scheduled, though will only happen if required.

Scott Merzbach is a reporter covering local government and school news in Amherst and Hadley, as well as Hatfield, Leverett, Pelham and Shutesbury. He can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com or 413-585-5253.