Downtown Keene project set to begin with utility work Monday

The gas line portion will cover about 800 feet of steel pipe in Central Square and is expected to take roughly 3½ weeks.

Keene’s long-planned downtown infrastructure overhaul is moving ahead this month, with work to replace old pipes beneath Main Street and Central Square scheduled to begin at the end of July. Before that larger phase starts, Liberty Utilities will begin preparing the area Monday by replacing older gas lines, a step expected to bring detours, lane shifts and short-term parking losses to the center of town.

The city says Casella Construction, based in Vermont, is not expected to begin the pipe replacement until July 27. Equipment and materials will be staged in a vacant lot beside the former coal silos on Gilbo Avenue. Residents can find project updates at www.keenenh.gov/downtown-project .

The gas line portion will cover about 800 feet of steel pipe in Central Square and is expected to take roughly 3½ weeks. Public Works Director Don Lussier said crews will begin on the west side of Central Square between Court Street and West Street, then move south toward Roxbury Street before continuing along the east side of the square toward Washington Street.

Drivers should not expect full shutdowns at the start. The city says at least one lane will stay open while work is underway, although traffic patterns will change. Construction is expected to begin in the parking spaces in West Central Square, with vehicles shifted closer to the center green.

A temporary closure of the slip lane from Central Square to West Street will also be needed for a few days at a time. When that happens, Lussier said traffic will likely be redirected along Main Street and Gilbo Avenue.

Parking will be limited on the west side of Central Square between Court Street and West Street during weekday work hours, generally 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Even so, spaces on the north and east sides of Central Square and on Main Street should remain usable. The city says parking conditions may change as the project advances, and more information will be released later.

Public parking will continue to be available at the Gilbo Avenue East Lot beside Lindy’s Diner, the Commercial Street Lot behind Margaritas Mexican Restaurant, and the Elm Street Lot at Elm Street and Mechanic Street.

Despite the construction, downtown stores and restaurants will stay open, even if customers cannot park directly in front of them.