Church Street Construction, Detours to Begin Monday

Road will only be open to one-way traffic.

(Editor's note: The following information was published by the Town of Wilmington DPW.) Residents are advised that effective Monday, April 29, due to construction, Church Street from Route 38 to the Town Common will be open for one-way traffic only, east-bound to Middlesex Avenue, according to the town web site. Westbound traffic will be diverted to Middlesex Avenue from the Town Common to Route 38.  The traffic impact will be in place Monday through Friday 7AM to 3:30PM. Construction is expected to take approximately eight weeks and impact Church Street from the Town Common to Adelaide Street.  Specific closures and detours for residential feeder streets along Church Street will be adjusted as the construction progresses. Every effort …

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Foghorn Leghorn

9:33 pm on Saturday, April 27, 2013

Dum..de..dum..dum..do..da..do..da..dum..dum.. I say dum dum   more ›

DPW Workers: 'We're Going to Have Our Hands Full'

Assistant superintendent Jamie Magaldi and other crew members are ready for a busy weekend due to the incoming blizzard.

Department of Public Works assistant superintendent Jamie Magaldi can’t predict exactly how much snow will be dumped on Wilmington this weekend. There’s one prediction he’s sticking to though – no matter what the blizzard brings, he and his crews will be ready for it. “The fact is that we really don’t know what we are going to get until we get it,” said Magaldi on Thursday afternoon. “All we can do is get the equipment ready so we can get right to work with no issues.” Preparations included sharpening and changing plow blades and preparing saws in case the storm comes with strong winds, which forecasters believe is a possibility. Though winds could reach as high as 45 MPH at the peak of the storm, Magaldi said he doesn’t expect much tree …

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Wilmington DPW Ready for Whatever Impact Sandy Has

The Department of Public Works is following the storm's path, and is ready whether the hurricane hits Wilmington hard or not.

It’s unclear whether or not Hurricane Sandy will leave a major mark on New England early next week. But either way, Wilmington’s Department of Public Works will be ready. Assistant DPW Superintendent Jamie Magaldi said the town is closely monitoring a variety of different forecasting tools. As of Friday, it appears the storm could reach land in Washington, D.C., which Magaldi said would be a good thing for Wilmington residents. “If that were the case, we would just be dealing with strong winds and moderately heavy rainfall, which is better than six or seven inches of rain,” said Magaldi. “We’ll know more tomorrow and Sunday if that is indeed what it looks like is going to happen.” In the meantime, DPW workers are still preparing for the …

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Initial Recycling Enforcement Results Are In

Town officials said they've seen a positive impact following the announcement that trash pick up would stop for non-recyclers.

Town officials promised this spring that they would be enforcing recycling bylaws in an effort to save money and lessen the impact Wilmington has on the environment. After several months, the town has remained true to its word, and it’s paying off. According to Town Manager Michael Caira, the town saw a spike in recycling each month since the announcement was made, evident by the amount of trash disposed. In June, Wilmington had 716 tons disposed of, compared to 882 tons in the same month of 2011. “It’s going exceedingly well,” said Caira. “I can tell you we are seeing less trash being picked up and delivered in terms of tonnage, and we are seeing much more recycling. That’s a good thing. We pay both for trash and recycling pickup, but …

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Wade Samatis Kennedy

10:35 am on Friday, August 3, 2012

My family of 3 generates three overflowing bins per two week period. I would definitely be interested in having a larger recycling barrel outside that I periodically dump bins into. This would also reduce the number of bins I need to store in the house.   more ›

Fix Coming for Town's Most Dangerous Intersection

The state recently approved funding for construction of a traffic light at the intersection of Middlesex Ave., Glen Road and Wildwood Street.

After several years of planning and multiple years of inactivity, the state is preparing to get back to work on fixing the most dangerous intersection in Wilmington. Following a Senate vote last week, $820,000 will now be made available for safety improvements at the intersection of Glen Road, Middlesex Ave. and Wildwood Street. As part of a deal with the state, Wilmington agreed several years ago to fund the design of the new intersection while the state pays for the construction. However, after initial movement on the project, the process had remained at a stand still. Preliminary engineering began on the project in 2007 as the town introduced multiple plans, including a roundabout proposal. Following discussion, the town opted against …

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suzyderkins

9:20 pm on Tuesday, July 31, 2012

I agree. I just see this creating more hassles, really. If people were considerate of others, it wouldn't be an issue. Another area I'll have to avoid in the future.   more ›

With Pick Up Refusal on Horizon, Recycling Spikes

Local officials say recycling efforts appear to be increasing since crackdown announcement.

It’s been more than a month since Wilmington officials announced their plans to more strictly enforce the town bylaw requiring residents to recycle. So just what impact has the announcement had in town? According to Department of Public Works Superintendent Don Onusseit and Town Manager Michael Caira, it’s too early for specific figures but residents are passing the eye test so far. “I can’t quantify it, but I have definitely seen an increase,” said Caira. “My gut says people are recycling who have not been in the past.” The town will not begin to refuse trash pick up for residents who are not recycling until July 1. But in the meantime, homeowners without recyclables have been receiving stickers warning them of the upcoming plans to leave…

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Trash Pick Up Will Stop for Non-Recyclers

Wilmington officials preparing to strictly enforce bylaw in effort to increase recycling numbers.

Recycling isn’t just good for the environment. In Wilmington, it’s mandatory. Town officials will soon begin strictly enforcing a bylaw that has been in existence for decades. Residents who do not make a genuine effort to recycle will not have their trash picked up. “It’s really a no brainer,” said Department of Public Works Assistant Superintendant Jamie Magaldi. “Most of the people in town are doing their part. The people who aren’t recycling at all, there really isn’t a reason for it anymore. We should be getting at least an effort from everyone in town.” Town Manager Michael Caira said the reason behind new enforcement is three fold. First, Caira said, is that it’s a fairness issue, better for the environment, and there is a potential …

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Matt Schooley

9:28 am on Tuesday, April 17, 2012

According to the town website, "Recycle bins are still available to residents for purchase at the DPW building located at 135 Andover Street for $5.00 each. If you chose, you may use up to a 35 gallon trash barrel for your recycling container, as long as it is clearly marked 'Recycle'. Free stickers bearing the word 'Recycle' are available for residents both at the DPW building and the Town …   more ›

Lack of White Stuff May Mean More Green for Town

Town Manager Michael Caira said if current pace of snow continues, money could be moved into general fund.

So far this winter, Wilmington has seen its lowest total of snowfall in many years. You won’t hear many complaints about that from Town Hall of the Department of Public Works. According to Town Manager Michael Caira, if this winter continues at its current pace, the town may end up saving money that was allotted for snow removal. If that happens, Caira said the funds would be moved into the general fund or to plug gaps in other accounts.  “This is really a first. I’ve never seen anything like this, and it’s especially strange one year after we saw more than 100 inches of snow,” said Caira, who superstitiously knocked on wood after saying that. “At any given time we’ve seen snow come piling on, so we’ll see how things play out.”  Department…

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All's Quiet on the Winter Storm Front

DPW, Police Department, report no issues after first snow of 2012.

Wilmington Department of Public Works employees were prepared for the first storm of the season. Turns out, there wasn’t much to be ready for. “This was hardly a storm,” said Assistant Public Works Superintendent Jamie Magaldi. “It was mostly a little bit of snow with mostly sleet and rain. We didn’t come in on overtime, it was just business as usual. We had a few salters heading out early, but that was essentially it.” It was a similar result for the Wilmington Police Department, which did not field any calls for major accidents on Thursday. Lt. Chris Neville said the only weather-related calls were smaller accidents. “It was relatively quiet,” said Neville. “It was mostly rain, and there were no icing conditions. Except for a few minor …

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Question of the Day

Question of the Day: Would You Pay More for Salt Alternative?

Let us know in the comments section below.

During Monday night's Board of Selectmen meeting, members discussed with the Department of Public Works, Water & Sewer and Health Department officials a plan to reduce the amount of salt used to treat roads during the winter. Current levels of salt used around town have caused elevated levels of sodium in drinking water. As a result, the town is looking for ways to keep drivers safe while also cleaning up the drinking water issues. This winter, the DPW will use a mixture of magnesium chloride and agricultural by-product in addition to salt. The cost of the solution is higher than simply using salt. So for today's questions, we want to know: Would you support solely using a new method of treatment, even if it cost the town more money? …

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