Marshfield: State awards contract for Rte. 139 expansion

The long-awaited expansion of Rte. 139 in Marshfield is a step closer to reality.

The state has awarded a four-million dollar contract to Hanover-based P.A. Landers to widen a one-mile stretch of the road between the intersections of School St. and Furnace St.

The project, set to begin in mid-March, is intended to improve traffic flow in a section of Marshfield that’s notorious for congestion during rush hour.

When the expansion is completed in two or three years, there will be two travel lanes in each direction.

New sidewalks will be built on both sides of the road, and a  traffic light will be placed at the Rte. 139 intersection with Enterprise Dr., where the WATD studios and offices are located.

The Landers bid is $1 million lower than the state Department of Transportation’s initial cost estimate.

Marshfield officials say the clogged road is a safety hazard and hurts their ability to attract new businesses and expand the community’s tax base.