THE HEART OF BRISTOL: City of Bristol Public Works Street Maintenance and Snow Removal Team – Delivering Services to Keep Bristol Streets Safe and Our Neighborhoods Clean

February 27, 2019

The Street Maintenance Division of the Public Works Department, led by Superintendent of Streets, Jason Morrocco, and Assistant Superintendent of Streets Craig Kasparian is responsible for the repair and maintenance of all City of Bristol streets. There are 225 miles of roads, 175 miles of storm drain, 6,500 catch basins, and 25 bridges. The responsibilities encompass a wide range of activities including but not limited to maintenance and repair of storm water assets, pavement, roadside landscapes, street sweeping, and snow and ice control. The Street Maintenance team is comprised of 32 City employees who are dedicated to making sure the roads are clear and safe for you to travel.

There are three areas in which the Street Maintenance Division focuses on year round:

1. Safety – The management of storm water control, catch basins, bridges, street and public notice signs, the condition of pavement, sidewalks, and snow and ice control in order make sure Bristol’s streets are safe for its citizens.
2. Beautification – The Streets Division also plays a role in beautification by street sweeping and managing landscaping in public rights-of-way and city facilities.
3. Strategy – The Street Maintenance Division of Public Works strives for a high quality and efficient level of service for the citizens of Bristol. Our strategies include exploring new technologies, implementing efficient procedures, and proactively addressing residents’ concerns. The division is dedicated to managing expenses and presenting a positive public image.

Just because the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil said we’re going to have an early spring and we had a winter thaw in February with temperatures in the 60s, winter is still here. The late January snow storm and heavy rains that followed put the Street Maintenance team to the test. After putting in 54 plus hours to clear the streets from the winter snow, heavy rains then flooded many roadways which required the assistance of several of the Public Works departments to be called upon by the Street Maintenance crews to clear gutters to make the streets passable again.

“Working to keep the streets clear and safe is truly a team effort. Weather doesn’t punch a time clock so we have to be out there all hours of the day night when weather issues happen, which sometimes requires our team to be away from their families for long periods of time,” stated Jason Morrocco, Superintendent of Streets for the City of Bristol.

Along with their duties at work, the Street and Maintenance Division team spends time out in the community to connect with Bristol citizens. The Public Works trucks and maintenance equipment have been present at the summer Farmers Market with a “Touch a Truck” allowing the community to be able to meet the many people working behind the scenes to keep Bristol’s streets safe and maintained. “The hope is to continue with these “Touch a Truck” events with the possibility of bringing them to the schools so that the Bristol school children will have the opportunity to connect with the team and learn about all that we do to maintain the streets in Bristol,” stated Jason.

Along with the year-round services provided to Bristol residents, the Public Works department also provides seasonal services such as brush/branch collection, Christmas tree collection, electronic waste collection, household hazardous waste, leaf collection in the fall, winter street operations, and yard waste collection from spring to late fall. Many of these services are not provided in surrounding towns and cities. These important services help Bristol residents dispose of waste responsibly along with helping to keep Bristol neighborhoods looking their best.

Learn more about all the available services provided to Bristol residents by the City of Bristol Public Works department here: http://www.ci.bristol.ct.us/220/Public-Works