EASTHAMPTON — Ferry Street could be closed for several weeks as workers identify the severity of a century-old pipe that burst, opening a large sinkhole in the middle of the roadway last week.
The city had temporarily patched the sinkhole when it formed last Thursday, allowing drivers to use Ferry Street for a day or two. A statement from the city released Monday, however, said the initial repairs revealed a failure of a water pipe that connects to the former power generation Ferry Street mill building, requiring more work to address.
“We’re working to determine the best method of permanently sealing the pipe,” Director of Public Works Greg Nuttelman said at the site of the sinkhole Tuesday morning.
The pipe was built more than a century ago as infrastructure for the former mills. More information will be revealed once the severity of the damage is determined, Nuttelman said.
The full length of Ferry Street was closed as of Tuesday morning, spanning from Parsons to East Street. Mayor Salem Derby said the roadway could be closed for up to four weeks, but will have a better idea of how long the closure will be once more information is gathered.
“This is a problem that a lot of cities around the state are facing — aging infrastructure,” Derby said. “Especially for an old mill town like Easthampton where many things were done before our time.”
Traffic is being detoured to various roadways around Ferry Street. The street is well-traveled and the city is trying to minimize traffic in other areas.
“When the sinkhole opened, it was clear that it has a pretty significant impact on traffic around the city, so this is a priority for us,” he said.
Felicia Jadczak, city councilor for Precinct 2 where Ferry Street is located, said she is in contact with Derby and Nuttelman and the goal is to update residents as much as possible in the days ahead.
Jadczak said she appreciates the responsiveness of the Department of Public Works and Easthampton Police when the sinkhole was discovered.
“I know that we weren’t anticipating or expecting it to take this long but it makes sense because it’s an area with a lot of old infrastructure,” Jadczak said about the duration of construction.
Projects in the area
There are multiple projects in the works in the Ferry Street and New City area. Derby said that currently he does not expect there to be any impacts on upcoming projects, but that is being taken into consideration.
The City Council signed a resolution at its Sept. 16 meeting supporting significant pedestrian infrastructure improvements on Ferry Street, spanning from Parsons Street to Emerald Place.
The work would build new sidewalks, raised crosswalks with flashing light beacons, improve visibility at the intersection of Ferry and Parsons streets, and more. It is funded by a $4.4 million grant from the state’s HousingWorks Infrastructure Program, awarded in late 2024.
The project aims to pave the way for reconstruction of the 11 Ferry St. mill building, which is to be developed into a five-story, 96-unit housing complex. Demolition of the building, contracted to Atlas Technical Consultants of West Springfield, is expected to take place within the coming months, according to a demolition plan for the project obtained by the Gazette.
The demolition plan is called a non-traditional asbestos abatement work plan, required by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for the demolition due to the complexity and age of the building.
Previously, construction took place late last year to replace other 100-year-old piping underneath the streets and houses in the area, part of the New City Master Plan. Funding for that came from a 2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) worth roughly $670,000.
Jadczak said the city has long been moving to improve infrastructure along Ferry Street and the New City area. These projects take time to complete, she said, often requiring pursuit of different grants to be done and involving multiple city departments, state agencies and outside contractors.
“We’re working on it; it’s not being ignored,” Jadczak said. “When it looks like nothing is happening, usually there is something happening but it’s (being done) behind the scenes.”
