Central Ave Urban Core Water Improvements

At a Glance

Latest

Work on the Central Avenue water main continues Oct. 19–23. Crews will work near Brick Road, tie in the main at Sixth Street, install permanent water services between Hill and Oak streets, and remove the temporary main south of Hill Street. Brief water disruptions may occur. The southbound detour remains in effect weekdays, 7 a.m.–5 p.m., via Mount Vernon Street from Abbott to Sixth Street. Oak Street is open, but its right-turn lane remains closed.

The City of Dover is replacing a critical, 140-year-old water main along Central Avenue and Abbey Sawyer Memorial Drive up to the Garrison Hill Water Storage Tank. The project will unfold in two phases through October 2026 to upgrade 5,700 feet of infrastructure with new, modern piping.

Why it Matters

Replacing this old water pipe is essential to securing reliable drinking water and ensuring our emergency services have the water pressure they need to keep the community safe.

Failing to replace this aging infrastructure risks major water main breaks, costly emergency repairs, and compromised fire protection across the Urban Core and surrounding neighborhoods. By doing this work now, the city is securing several key benefits.

Improved Public Safety: Works alongside recent Garrison Hill Tank upgrades to boost fire flows and water pressure throughout the central corridor and connected neighborhoods.
Minimal Daily Disruption: Uses temporary water lines during Phase 2 to prevent long-term service outages for residents and businesses.
Smarter Construction: Features strategic night work for street connections and keeps two-way traffic open along Central Avenue to minimize traffic delays.
Full Site Restoration: Includes section-by-section repairs to pavement, sidewalks, curbs, and lawns as crews move along the route.

The Big Picture

Our current water main was originally installed in the late 1800s. While the city successfully extended its life by adding a protective lining back in 1988, that fix has reached the end of its useful lifespan.

Moving forward now allows Dover to take advantage of substantial outside funding, using grants from the EPA’s Congressional District Spending program and the New Hampshire State Housing program to offset local costs. The Dover City Council has officially awarded the construction contract to S.U.R. Construction, Inc., and brought on Underwood Engineers, Inc. for oversight to ensure the job is done right.

Take Action

Public feedback and awareness are vital as construction moves through our neighborhoods. You can stay informed and plan around active work zones using these simple tools:

Sign up for updates: Receive regular construction and traffic alerts delivered straight to your inbox by visiting the City’s Newsletter Portal and selecting “Project update: Central Avenue Urban Core Water Improvements.”
Reach out to project staff: If you have questions about localized property impacts or temporary water shut-offs, contact Deputy City Engineer Matthew Gibbons or City Engineer Jillian Semprini at 603-516-6450.

Go Deeper

If you want to review the technical details, bidding history, or complete construction blueprints, explore the following resources:

Bid Package & Drawings: Access the full B26018 Bid Documents and Attachment B Drawings through the city’s purchasing portal.
Council Resolutions: Review City Council Resolutions R-2026.01.14-97 (construction contract award) in the City’s document portal.
Visit the City’s official webpage for the project.

Activity Feed

Oct 17, 2026Active
Work on the Central Avenue water main continues Oct. 19–23. Crews will work near Brick Road, tie in the main at Sixth Street, install permanent water services between Hill and Oak streets, and remove the temporary main south of Hill Street. Brief water disruptions may occur. The southbound detour remains in effect weekdays, 7 a.m.–5 p.m., via Mount Vernon Street from Abbott to Sixth Street. Oak Street is open, but its right-turn lane remains closed.
Oct 9, 2026Active
Next week, Oct. 12–16, work will continue on the Central Avenue water main near Oak Street, along with gas main relocation, trench paving, and related work. Oak Street and southbound Central Avenue detours will be in effect weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., including Monday, Oct. 12. Oak Street will reopen nights and weekends. Expect traffic delays and parking restrictions.
Oct 2, 2026Active
Work continues next week, Oct. 5–9, on the Central Avenue water main. Crews will work near Oak Street, connect water services near Hill Street, pave trenches, and remove sidewalk and curbing near Brick Road for gas main work. Brief water service interruptions are possible. Oak Street and southbound Central Avenue detours will be in effect Monday–Wednesday during work hours and resume Tuesday, Oct. 13. Delays are expected.
Sep 25, 2026Active
Next week, Sept. 28–Oct. 2, crews will install the new water main on Central Avenue near Oak Street, connect Ash Street to the new main, connect permanent water services between Bradley Commons and Ham Street, and pave trenches. Expect lane restrictions, detours, parking limits and delays. Ash Street will close at Central Avenue during work. Brief individual water service interruptions are planned; no other outages are expected.
Sep 18, 2026Active
Work continues next week, Sept. 21–25, on the new water main along Central Avenue. Construction will progress north from south of Ash Street toward Oak Street, with one lane of alternating traffic between Hill and Ash streets, shifting as work advances. An officer will help manage traffic at Oak Street during work hours. Brief individual water service disruptions are planned for some properties between Bradley Commons and Ham Street. Expect delays and parking restrictions.
Sep 11, 2026Active
Next week, Sept. 14–18, crews will continue installing the new water main on Central Avenue north of Hill Street. Crews will also connect properties to temporary water service between Brick Road and Abbey Sawyer Memorial Drive, causing brief individual disruptions. No other outages are planned. Central Avenue will have alternating one-way traffic between Hill and Ash streets during work hours. Parking restrictions and delays are expected.
Sep 4, 2026Active
Work continues next week, Sept. 8–11, on the Central Avenue water main between Broadway and Abby Sawyer Memorial Drive. Work includes installation near Hill Street, temporary water lines from Brick Road north, and service connections between New York and Ham streets. Hill Street will close at Central Avenue during intersection work, with local access from Park Street. Central Avenue will have alternating one-way traffic between Hill and Ash streets. Expect delays and parking restrictions.
Aug 30, 2026Active
Work will continue Aug. 31–Sept. 3 on the Central Avenue water main between Hough and Hill streets, progressing north. Hill Street will close from Central Avenue to Park Street once work reaches the intersection; local access will be from Park Street. Hough Street will close at Central Avenue for a water-main connection, with local access maintained and detour signs posted. Service connections between New York and Ham streets may cause brief interruptions. Ham Street paving is targeted for Sept. 2, weather permitting. Central Avenue will have alternating one-way traffic, with parking restrictions and delays. No work Sept. 4 or 7 for Labor Day holiday.
Aug 21, 2026Active
Next week (Aug. 24–28), crews will continue installing the Central Avenue water main north of Ham Street toward Hough Street, clean up Preble Street and pave the Milk Street trench. Water service will be interrupted overnight Aug. 25–26 for Oak Street valve work. Central Avenue will be reduced to one lane, with Oak Street’s right-turn lane closed. Expect parking restrictions and delays.
Aug 16, 2026Active
Water main work on Central Ave continues this week (Aug 17–21). Crews are wrapping up gate valve work at the Central Ave & Ham St intersection. Ham St will be closed between Central and Park on Monday, then work heads north from Ham St. Expect Central Ave down to one lane between New York and Ham near Bradley Commons, plus some parking restrictions and delays. No water outages are expected.
Aug 16, 2026New
I know this project has been going on for a while, and lots of the work is already done. I’m going through the backlog of projects that began before my term started and getting some of the big ones on the tracker.