Keene’s multi-year downtown overhaul is entering a new phase, and the work is about to spread beyond Central Square.
City staff and project contractors outlined an updated schedule for the $28 million infrastructure project, which includes replacing water, sewer, and drainage utilities that date back to the 1800s. Underground utility work is scheduled to begin Oct. 26 south of Central Square near Water Street, following the Keene Pumpkin Festival. Crews are expected to keep replacing utilities in that area into January, while wrapping up remaining underground work in Central Square by December.
Instead of moving in a straight line down Main Street, the project’s “phases” now overlap. The city said that approach lets crews work in smaller segments across multiple areas at the same time, aiming to reduce disruption for downtown residents, businesses, and drivers.
In the near term, new water lines in Central Square are expected to be connected and transferred to existing lines within the next couple of weeks. After that, crews plan to shift into sewer and drainage work on the east side of the square and part of Washington Street. Project leaders also said most sewer and water lines run along the west side of Main Street under the sidewalk area before crossing to the east side. Crews plan to start sewer replacement near Davis Street, with the Main Street crossing expected after Thanksgiving.
For mason contractors and masonry crews working downtown, this type of utility schedule affects access, staging, and protection of finished work. Tie deliveries and manpower to block-by-block closures, confirm pedestrian routing, and plan for restored sidewalks, curbs, and adjacent building edges to stay clean and intact during excavation and backfill.
Aboveground work in Central Square is scheduled from March to September next year, including traffic signal replacement, curbs, paving, sidewalks, landscaping, and work on the square’s common. City officials said some trees in the Main Street median are tagged to stay, relocate, or be removed. Work is also expected farther down Main Street as Liberty Utilities replaces gas lines under the medians.
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