By Curt Peterson
Hartland Select Board Chair Phil Hobbie told the Mountain Times, “Today is a big day! And a long time coming!”
Hobbie, wearing a hard hat, stood watching as Green Mountain Power crewmembers pulled the first of several poles from the ground at the recently reconfigured Three Corners intersection in Hartland, at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 2. Utility and communications cables once hanging over the intersection like a giant spider web, were buried underground a month or so ago, opening up the area and making it seem like the small, quaint village it is.
The reconfiguration project has been controversial from the beginning, bringing tears to the eyes of at least one older resident. Objections included cost, of course, size of the project, disruption during construction, lack of necessity and the decision process. But public support for the project won out and on June 5, 2023, the major work began with voter approval, and the project was completed July 2, 25 months later.
No wires, no poles needed.
The intersection lighting that was not in the original contract will be completed as soon as possible, Hobbie noted.
The original contract amounts were: $1,284,189 for Nott’s Excavating, $85,153 for GMP, and $152,353 for project manager GPI, for a total of $1,521,695.
Town Finance Director Martin Dole told the Mountain Times the actual payments made on two of the three contracts are to date $1,227,426.
“I’m still waiting for a couple of final invoices,” Dole said, “before I’ll know whether we are over or under budget.”
