Murphy Road reopens with new alignment

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The relocation of a portion of Murphy Road for a new banquet facility in Prospect has been completed. –CONTRIBUTED

PROSPECT — Motorists now exiting Murphy Road at Route 69 won’t have to crane their necks to check for traffic.

The road used to come out at an angle at Route 69, and now it is more of a curve, Mayor Robert Chatfield said. It allows drivers to look in both directions rather than having to look over their shoulder for traffic, he said.

About 500 feet of Murphy Road was shifted about 20 to 25 feet to the west for a new banquet facility, he said. It was all paid for by the Geloso family.

The Gelosos are building a 30,000-square-foot facility called Aria Wedding and Banquet Facility by Villa Rosa. Owner Joe Geloso Sr., and his two sons, Joe Jr. and Emilio, co-owners, broke ground on the project in April.

Murphy Road from Route 69 and Terry Road was closed Dec. 10, and was reopened last Thursday afternoon, Chatfield said. The relocation was part of the approval for the banquet facility, he said.

Advanced Paving and Excavating of Woodbridge and Mancini Bros. Construction of Watertown worked on the road.

The project entailed installing storm drains including three catch basins, which will be tied up to drain down Route 69 toward Waterbury in the new future, sanitary sewers to be tied into Waterbury once all approvals are received and conduit for telephone lines were installed, Chatfield said. The road was widened 10 and 15 feet in places and curbing was installed, he said.

“Even with the heavy rains (Friday), it seems to be doing very well,” Chatfield said.

Chatfield asked motorists to be cautious over the next couple days because a utility pole has not been moved back yet on Murphy Road. There are barrels marking it for drivers, he said.

Geloso Sr. said Friday that the road project cost about $50,000. The banquet facility will cost roughly $7 million, he said.

The building has been constructed, and now they are starting painting, Geloso Sr. said.

So far, everything is on schedule, and the family expects to open by the end of March, he said.

“We hope for the best,” Geloso Sr. said.