SEARSPORT - The Maine Department of Transportation and its contracting partners are continuing work on a project to rehabilitate and reconstruct Route 1 in downtown Searsport.

On-site construction began in June. Work will resume next week. Beginning on Tuesday, March 5th, southbound traffic will follow a detour that involves Mortland, Old County, and Prospect Roads. This detour is expected to be in place until October 15th.

The anticipated construction completion date for all work is in June of 2025.

WATERVILLE/WINSLOW - The Maine Department of Transportation will be closing the Ticonic Bridge to all traffic during nighttime hours next week to accommodate ongoing construction work that requires access to the entire bridge. The Ticonic Bridge carries Bridge Street (Routes 137 and 201) over the Kennebec River between Waterville and Winslow.

MaineDOT Seeking Bidders for Pilot Commuter Bus Service Linking Portland and Lewiston/Auburn

AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation has published a Request for Proposal, seeking bidders for a pilot program to provide commuter bus service between Portland and Lewiston/Auburn.

AUGUSTA - Today, the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) released the 2024 Edition of its three-year Work Plan. It includes all capital projects and programs, maintenance and operations activities, planning initiatives, and administrative functions for calendar years 2024, 2025, and 2026.

MaineDOT's Work Plan is the primary way the department delivers on its mission: to support economic opportunity and quality of life by responsibly providing our customers with the safest and most reliable transportation system possible, given available resources.

The Maine Department of Transportation is set to begin repairs to the Barter?s Island Drawbridge in the town of Boothbay, and motorists should expect to see construction activity beginning the week of January 11.

Construction is expected to be completed by May 1, 2010. During the construction period, there will be periods of one way, alternating traffic over the bridge, and several complete closures of the bridge. The complete closures are expected to last for approximately two hours. An electronic message board will be utilized to inform motorists of each expected full closure.

MaineDOT will shut down all northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Fairfield at Exit 133 on Wednesday, January 6 at midnight for approximately ? hour as crews replace a damaged sign truss. Motorists should also expect lane closures in the area between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 4 a.m. Thursday as crews prepare to remove the sign truss.

On Monday, January 11, and Tuesday, January 12, the Free Black Bridge will be closed between 6:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. in order for MaineDOT crews to inspect the bridge and replace two structural hangers. The Free Black Bridge carries one lane of traffic and the Lewiston Lower Road rail line over the Androscoggin River between Topsham and Brunswick.

Crews will be using an underbridge crane to inspect the bridge. Crews will also remove and replace two damaged support hangers on the bridge. Motorists are encouraged to use the Frank J. Wood Bridge while the Free Black Bridge is closed.

Starting Tuesday, January 19, the Maine Department of Transportation must close the Songo Locks Drawbridge in Naples to all traffic in order to repair the bridge deck and replace deteriorating pieces of steel. The repairs are expected to be completed prior to May 1, 2010, the traditional opening date of the swing bridge to marine traffic.

AUGUSTA ? The Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has announced it is accepting public comments on the three final choices for a bypass route around Wiscasset?s downtown.

Comments will be accepted by the USACE through February 19, 2010 and can be emailed to Jay Clement at jay.l.clement@usace.army.mil or mailed to him at:

U.S. Army Corps of EngineersMaine Project Office 675 Western Avenue, #3 Manchester, Maine 04351.

The Maine Department of Transportation has closed a section of Route 113 and the Weston Bridge in Fryeburg as the Saco River has flooded its banks. The Weston Bridge carries Route 113 over the Saco River near the New Hampshire border

The road and bridge will remain closed until the river recedes. Currently there is a large ice dam two hundred yards upriver of the bridge that is estimated at 8-10? high and ? mile in length. The ice dam is a potential hazard to the bridge, and the ice dam is currently growing in length and height.