Hamden had finished the $35 million residential cleanup of its Newhall neighborhood, removing contaminants in the soil first place more than 100 years ago.
The project removed 131,700 cubic yards of soil from 240 residential properties containing waste fill tainted with lead, arsenic, and volatile organic compounds associated with ashes from wood and coal. The Newhall Street neighborhood historically consisted of wetlands that were filled with industrial and household wastes from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s.
The project was originally projected to cost $50 million but came in under budget. The work started in summer 2010 and finished in January. The primary contractor on the cleanup was Sevenson Environmental Services of Niagara Falls, N.Y.
The effort included replacing 80 structures such as sheds, decks, and swimming pools; replanting 4,700 shrubs and trees; replacing 210,700 sq. ft. of driveways and parking areas; and rebuilding 3.8 miles of sidewalk.
While the Newhall residential side of the cleanup is complete, Hamden still must address cleanup at public properties on Rochford Field, Mill Rock Park, a former middle school property, and other residential properties west outside of the Newhall Street area. That work will begin in phases later this year.
