Milford property owners balk at South Street project; town may use eminent domain
“The town might resort to eminent domain against property owners who are holding up South Street reconstruction.
The $1 million project to widen and beautify the narrow street in Milford has been delayed for years as town officials dealt with numerous hurdles, including the acquisition of easements from public utilities and property owners.
Project engineer Heidi Marshall, of CLD Consulting Engineers, told selectmen recently that getting easements from utilities has been difficult, although there has been recent progress with Public Service of New Hampshire.
“I am the most optimistic I’ve been in years,” she told selectmen as she and Bill Parker, the town’s community development director, updated them on the project.
Along with new sidewalks on both sides of the street to the railroad tracks, plans call for the gradual widening of the street from 5 to 8 feet on the west side and utilities buried underground between Union Square (the Oval) and the Christian Science Church.
Between the church and the railroad tracks, overhead utilities will be moved away from the curb.
Marshall said one property owner strongly objects to new sidewalks and another objects to having utility conduits under the sidewalk.”
Cleveand, Kathy. Nashua Telegraph 25 January 2014.