Adams/Washington Street realignment underway

A long desired realignment of the intersection at Adams Street and Washington Street is underway.

The work will pull out the curb lines and install a formal 90-degree-turn off Washington onto Adams, and vice versa.

Town officials have long eyed the project as the intersection has been the site of numerous accidents over the years, particularly as cars navigated the southbound merge off Adams onto Washington. It will also make it a relatively straight shot for cars traveling down Shaw Avenue to Adams Street.

Abington Public Works Director John Stone said the project will be paid for with a $296,000 Shared Streets and Spaces grant. D’Ambrosia, which performed the Washington Street sidewalk improvements in 2023, is the contractor for the project.

The intersection is one of the oldest in town. Andrew Ford, the town’s first official settler, built his farm in the area back in the 1660s.

The area is also part of the town’s main parade route. Both the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Veterans Day Parade process through the intersection.

The intersection is supposed to be wide enough to allow the annual collection of parade floats– as well as the daily needs of for trucks and ambulances — to safely make the tighter turns.

The work will require temporary lane reductions on Washington and Adams.