'Anxious to get started there.' $1.6M safety upgrades on Route 130 in Sandwich begin

Long-anticipated improvements to the busy Route 130 and Quaker Meetinghouse Road intersection in Sandwich are beginning.

The Sandwich Department of Public Worksengineering division on Friday issued an advisory about the start of work, which will occur Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. The project is planned to continue through the year.

"We've been talking about this for quite a long time. It was just a matter of getting the funding allocated," said Infrastructure Manager Sean Harrington on Friday. "We're certainly anxious to get started out there."

The work getting done to start "is going to be fairly minimal," he said, including surveying, utility mark out, installation of erosion controls, and similar pre-construction activities.

Assistant Town Engineer Sam Jensen said the town recently awarded the contract to Lawrence-Lynch Corp. of Falmouth, which he said is a "very well respected" local company.

Pedestrian safety, traffic flow, drainage

The project cost is $1.6 million, just below the original estimate of $1.8 million. A portion of that — $400,000 — is covered by a grant from the state Department of TransportationComplete Streets Funding Program, with other funds coming from the state Chapter 90 Transportation Program, and the town.

"The project for Route 130 and Quaker Meetinghouse Road is an intersection improvement project," said Jensen, noting the town identified the need some time ago. The focus, he said, is on improving pedestrian safety and traffic flow, which should also serve to ease traffic to and from the Forestdale School.

Harrington said plans call for upgrades to the traffic signals, sidewalk improvements with access ramps, drainage work, and road resurfacing.

"There has been a persistent drainage issue there — a combination of the heavy storms we've gotten and structures getting clogged," he said.

The project will also create additional right and left turning lanes on Route 130, and "will improve bicycle accommodations to the intersection as well," according to Jensen.

Bicycle lane, wider sidewalks

"There will be a bicycle lane and there will be wider sidewalks," he said. "This connects in with the Quaker Meetinghouse Road sidewalk," he added, referring to the wide sidewalk that leads up to the Oak Crest Cove skate park and Pop Warner ball fields. "The Sandwich Bikeways and Pedestrian Committee has had this project in their sights for quite some time."

As for the existing traffic signals, there will be improvements that include left turn signals as well as pedestrian crossing signals. Jensen said there are no pedestrian "walk" and "don't walk" flasher signals at all now.

"It's been a need that's been identified by the town for a long time," he said.

Eventually, state transportation planners will assist the town with resurfacing Route 130 from the intersection south toward Mashpee, Jensen said.

During the project, the town public works department advises motorists that access to area homes and businesses may be periodically delayed, but full access will be restored at the end of each work day. Motorists are asked to pay attention to signage and the guidance of safety officers and to use alternate routes if possible.

Notices will be issued if work outside these hours or changes to traffic patterns are anticipated.

Heather McCarron can be reached at hmccarron@capecodonline.com, or follow her on X @HMcCarron_CCT

The Cape Cod Times is providing this coverage for free as a public service. Please take a moment to support local journalism by subscribing.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Route 130 intersection in Sandwich focus of $1.6M safety improvements