GOFFSTOWN — Construction may delay travels on Main Street as a sidewalk project gets under way this week, town officials said.

According to Town Engineer Meghan Theriault, truncated domes, also known as detectable warning panels, will be installed at the corners of several intersections in town.

“They are to assist the visually impaired,” Theriault said. “It’s a panel that’s textured to warn people that they’re about to step off of a curb.”

According to the town website, the purpose of the project is to upgrade existing curb ramps so they comply with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Title II is a federal law that requires towns and cities to create a sidewalk inventory, which is then prioritized and implemented through long term planning.

According to Theriault, Goffstown completed a Sidewalk Inventory and prioritization in 2010, which was approved by the Board of Selectman.

But with no grant money in sight for the project, the town has had to set money aside each year, Theriault said.

The contract that includes the Main Street project began last fall on St. Anselm Drive, where sidewalk ramps were installed. The contractor then headed to Pinardville over the summer, to work on sidewalks there before the Mast Road paving project was complete.

Including the Main Street project, Theriault said the total cost is about $70,000, but will make the areas safer and compliant with federal regulations.

The new panels will be tied into the current sidewalks, Theriault said.

“We’re not rebuilding all of the sidewalks,” she said, largely because of the expense.

In terms of inconvenience, Theriault said much of it can’t be helped.

“We have a minimum concrete load to be delivered,” she said. “We have to pour in multiple locations.”

About five sections will be dug up at a time, then filled from one load of concrete. Residents are asked not to remove any stakes or cones from the construction area and are urged to contact the town if any they have any safety concerns.

Construction is expected to be completed in about six weeks. “

This is one of the most critical areas of town,” Theriault said. “We can’t wait.”

kremillard@newstote.com