Culvert Design and Replacement at Mill Lane and Brattle Street
The Town of Arlington selected Weston & Sampson to design culverts to replace failing structures at Mill Lane and Brattle Street. The culverts are located in an urban environment with numerous utilities and a limited working area. The project involved multiple design components, all completed with in-house staff. These components included survey, structural, hydraulic, environmental permitting, coordination with and relocation of utilities, vehicular and pedestrian traffic detours, roadway, landscaping, sewer, storm drain, and water design.
Significant facts and challenges associated with the projects are summarized below.
The Brattle Street Culvert
- The foundation of an adjacent house located within 18 inches of the culvert opening
- Size of culvert could not be increased without major downstream brook improvements
- Secondary drain conduit installed to allow future increase in capacity
- Dual 24-inch Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) drinking water pipes located six inches below the existing culvert
- Incorporation of MWRA’s design plans into the bid documents for replacement of these water pipes
The Mill Lane Culvert
- Adjacent to the historic Schwamb Mill
- Significant channel improvements made upstream of the culvert, including natural stone retaining walls and establishment of a low flow channel
- Consultation with members of the Mill Preservation Society throughout the project
- DPW and Engineering cooperation with Mill Preservation Society
- Extensive roadway and landscaping improvements around the new culvert
- Project’s signature structure is a decorative arched railing that reflects the Mill’s history as a museum quality, oval, wooden, picture frame workshop
- Mill Preservation Society was exceptionally happy with construction outcome
- Project was honored in the Mill’s newsletter as well as in the town’s local newspaper, The Arlington Advocate