What is happening and why
Bristol is replacing its oldest water mains. More than half of the system went in around 1905. It is unlined cast iron pipe, well past its expected life. The old pipe leaks, collects minerals and limits the water available to fight fires in much of town.
The Town is doing the work in four phases so the whole village is not torn up at once. Phase 1 (Pine Street) is done. Phase 2 (Bristol West) is nearly done. Phase 3, Bristol East, is the area east of North Street, including Main Street and East Street. Phase 4 is Rocky Dale.
Phase 3 streets: Main Street (North St to Mountain St), East Street (Mountain St to the end of the line), North Street (Spring St to Pine St), Mountain Street, Garfield Street, Fitch Avenue and Pumphouse Road. Street list from the 2024 plan; being confirmed against the final design.
Most new mains will be larger than the old ones, which improves fire protection. The design is 90% complete.
Before Phase 3: spring 2027 work downtown This is Phase 2 (Bristol West) work, but it affects downtown.
- April to June 2027. Work runs along the park, School Street and Park Street, then through the Main, North and West Street intersection to just past the traffic light.
- Done before July 1. The Selectboard set this deadline so summer events, the playground and downtown businesses are not in a work zone all summer.
- The intersection will not be dug up. A drill rig will bore the new pipe under it. A large stormwater pipe and fiber optic lines run through that intersection.
- Traffic: the goal is two-way traffic on West Street, with a possible lane shift.
- Walking: the goal is to keep the intersection open to people on foot.
- Equipment and access: the drill rig and other equipment will be set up near the intersection for a time. Part of the west entrance to Shaw's, up by the drugstore, may be blocked. The engineer plans to share how long each area will be used.
- Night or day: some work in the middle of the road near the traffic light may happen at night. That will be decided this fall and winter.
- Exploratory digging: before connecting under the stormwater pipe, crews may dig for a day, possibly a Saturday, to see what is there.
- Public meeting: late winter or early spring 2027, a month or two before work starts, with the contractor and a schedule.
As presented at the Oct 21, 2026 public meeting. Final schedule will come from the contractor.
Phase 3 timeline
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Fall 2027 | Phase 3 goes out to bid. Community input on night work will shape the bid documents. |
| 2028 | Construction starts on Main Street at the traffic light and continues east. Then East Street out toward Lord's Prayer Rock. The goal is to do East Street in one summer. |
| When school is out | Sections near the elementary school. |
As presented at the Oct 21, 2026 public meeting. Final schedule will come from the contractor.
What it means for you Main Street, 2028
- Traffic: Main Street will be dug in the road. At least one lane will stay open.
- Where the pipe goes: along the north side of Main Street and East Street.
- How long downtown: about 6 weeks for the downtown Main Street block.
- Sidewalks: the new pipe runs just outside the parking spaces, so sidewalks are not expected to be dug up.
- Parking: about half the parking on that block will not be available while the work is there.
- Your building: entrances and the water service lines into buildings do not change. The new main connects to the two loop pipes, one on each side of the street, that were installed around 1980.
- Water shutoffs: almost every building will have at least one. The engineer and the Town's water operator are planning valves to keep shutoffs short, with special attention to restaurants and buildings with fire sprinkler systems. The Town plans to give notice before each one.
- Street crossings: one or two will probably be done at night to keep traffic moving, with flaggers directing traffic.
- To be worked out with businesses before construction: deliveries and trash pickup, where customers and employees park (including asking the grocery store), signs to help customers reach open businesses, and fencing to keep children out of the work area.
- When it is done: Main Street is repaved.
As presented at the Oct 21, 2026 public meeting. Final schedule will come from the contractor.
Night work: tell us what you think
Some of the Main Street work in 2028 could happen at night. The same question applies to some of the spring 2027 work near the traffic light. That is hard on people who live downtown: it is loud, with backup alarms and saw cutting. Daytime work is hard on businesses: it takes parking and keeps customers away.
The engineer has not written the bid documents yet. What residents and businesses say now can go into them, for example which parts are done at night and during which hours.
Share your input Form link and response deadline to come
Common questions
Will my water be shut off?
Almost certainly at least once. The Town plans to give notice before each shutoff.
Will there be a boil water notice?
Sometimes a section has to be taken out of service, and that can lead to a boil water notice. The Town posts these on Front Porch Forum, Facebook and this page.
Will I still be able to get into my building or business?
Yes. Entrances and service lines are not being changed.
Where do I get official updates?
This page is the main source for the project. The Town also posts notices on Front Porch Forum, Facebook and by email.
Who do I contact with a problem during construction?
The Town Administrator. Questions go to the engineer and the contractor from there.