KITTERY - The "Maine Ahead" project on the Piscatacqua River (I-95) Bridge in Kittery is entering its third and final year on time and on budget. This project is improving safety and mobility on Maine's most important bridge and will preserve the structure for another 50 years of use. This work is also preparing the bridge for an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) project, which will allow part-time shoulder use during peak travel times.
KNOX COUNTY - UPDATE - The Maine Department of Transportation will be continuing paving work along Routes 73 and 131 in Knox County. Work began in 2020, and was estimated to be finished by June 4th, but will require more time to complete. Paving work will continue through June 16th. Paving work on Route 73 begins at the Rockland town line and extends more than two miles south through Owls Head and into South Thomaston. The Route 131 project area begins at Port Clyde Road in Saint George and extends north for nearly ten miles through South Thomaston, ending at Route 1 in Thomaston.
MADAWASKA - The Maine Department of Transportation is conducting its annual safety inspection of the International Bridge between Madawaska and Edmundston, New Brunswick next week. The bridge will be closed to traffic between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST from Monday, June 14th through Saturday, June 19th. Detour routes will be posted. This inspection may also require an additional day of work and traffic closures the following week. This inspection had originally been scheduled for July.
AUGUSTA - A national resin shortage is limiting the Maine Department of Transportation's road striping operations this year. The February winter storm that left Texas without power for several days has dramatically hindered resin production in that state's petrochemical plants. MaineDOT has been working with our suppliers of latex-based paint, but the department is receiving far less paint than expected because the resin used to manufacture the paint continues to be in short supply. We currently have less than half the amount of white and yellow paint we had at this point last year.
HAMPDEN - On June 24th, the Maine Department of Transportation will be shifting northbound I-95 traffic onto the second of eight new interstate bridges in Hampden. In case of inclement weather, the backup date is June 25th. This new bridge, the West Bridge, crosses the Souadabscook Stream. Heading north, it is the first of the four bridges MaineDOT is replacing on the northbound side of the interstate as part of the Hampden Bridge Bundle Project. Northbound traffic remains diverted to temporary bridges constructed in the median of the interstate at the other two bridge locations.
BUXTON - The Maine Department of Transportation will be replacing cross culverts on Route 22 (Long Plains Road) in Buxton next week. Work will begin at midnight on Wednesday, June 23rd, continuing through the night and into the day on Wednesday. Due to the nature of this project, Long Plains Road will be closed to traffic during this work. Vehicles will be detoured to Routes 112 and 4A. Message boards are in place to notify the public of this upcoming closure. Long Plains Road will be reopened to one-way traffic on Thursday, June 24th. Final paving will be completed on Friday, June 25th.
EDGECOMB - The Maine Department of Transportation is doing paving work and making intersection improvements in Edgecomb. Crews are working at the intersection of Route 1 and Route 27 (Boothbay Road) as well as at several spots along Eddy Road. This project consists of road construction, paving work, drainage improvements, the installation of flashing beacons, and ledge removal. This work is expected to involve lane closures and detours beginning later in July. Message boards will alert drivers to detour routes. The contractor on this project is Sargent Corporation of Old Town.
BRUNSWICK - The Maine Department of Transportation will be beginning paving work on Bath Road in Brunswick on the evening on Sunday, June 20th. The work area begins at the Brunswick/West Bath town line and extends southwesterly for nearly two miles to the intersection with Old Bath Road in Brunswick. This will be overnight work, with lane closures between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. The contractor on this project is Crooker Construction of Topsham. The contract amount is $369,286. This paving project is expected to be finished by July 20th.
AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation will be beginning intersection and sidewalk work in Augusta next week. This project involves constructing a multi-use path between the Farrington School and Cony High School. This path will improve safety by allowing direct access between the schools. This project also involves making improvements to the intersection of Pierce Drive and Cony Street. Work is scheduled to begin on June 21st and end by August 27th. There will be very few impacts to traffic during construction. The contractor on this project is C.H. Stevenson, Inc. of Wayne.
SKOWHEGAN - The Maine Department of Transportation is installing vehicle count sensors on Route 201 (Waterville Road), southeast of Cemetery Road, in Skowhegan. Work is scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 22nd. The northbound lane of traffic will be closed during the first day of work. Work on the other side of the road will close the southbound lane to traffic on Wednesday, June 23rd. These sensors allow MaineDOT to accurately classify and count the number of vehicles using this highway throughout the year.