BANGOR - The Maine Department of Transportation closed its Region 4 office in Bangor this morning in response to an employee within the facility testing positive for COVID-19. The office is being cleaned today. It will reopen to the public and employees tomorrow.

MaineDOT was informed of the employee's positive test result this morning and notified coworkers. The department is working to identify close contacts of this individual, who is isolating and was last in the office on Tuesday. No members of the public have been identified as close contacts.

AUGUSTA - Today, the Maine Department of Transportation released the 2022 Edition of its three-year Work Plan. This Work Plan includes all capital projects and programs, maintenance and operations activities, planning initiatives, and administrative functions for calendar years 2022, 2023, and 2024. This plan contains 2,316 individual work items with a total value of $3.17 billion, consisting primarily of work delivered or coordinated through MaineDOT.

KITTERY - The Maine Department of Transportation will be closing travel lanes on the Piscataqua River (I-95) Bridge in Kittery next week to accommodate overhead sign work.

Between Monday, January 24th and Thursday, January 27th, the contractor plans to close the left lane on the southbound side between 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. and the right two lanes on the northbound side between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

VINALHAVEN - The Maine Department of Transportation has closed the Maine State Ferry Service terminal building on Vinalhaven after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.

This temporary closure is a precaution to allow time for appropriate cleaning and sanitizing per guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The facility will reopen as soon as the cleaning is complete.

During the building closure, members of the traveling public can still board ferries. Any passenger who needs to pay a fare may do so upon arrival in Rockland.

PORTLAND - The Maine Department of Transportation will be closing I-295 over Veranda Street in Portland on the fourth weekend in April to accommodate the replacement of an aging interstate bridge. MaineDOT's "Veranda Plan" involves a full closure of the highway around Exit 9 from 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 22nd to 11:00 a.m. on Monday, April 25th. Additionally, Route 1/Veranda Street (under the bridge) will be closed for a full week: from 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 18th to 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 25th.

WOOLWICH - The Maine Department of Transportation is replacing the Station 46 Bridge, which carries Route 1 over the Back River Creek Marsh and Rockland Branch of the Maine Central Railroad in Woolwich. The work area begins at the Taste of Maine Restaurant and extends north past the intersection of Route 1 and George Wright Road. The reconstruction of Route 1 will raise the roadway by approximately five feet to address flooding concerns and sea level rise.

KITTERY - The Maine Department of Transportation plans to complete all construction work on the Piscataqua River (I-95) Bridge in Kittery two months ahead of schedule.

The bridge project contractor, SPS New England, will be conducting final road striping operations in the coming weeks. All physical work on the bridge is expected to be finished by the end of March.

MATTAWAMKEAG - Today, the Maine Department of Transportation is temporarily closing the temporary bridge that carries Route 2 over the Mattawamkeag River. The purpose of the closure is to allow crews to relieve the pressure created by ice that has collected on the upstream side of the structure. This temporary bridge is serving traffic while the department and it's contracting partners work to replace the permanent Mattawamkeag Bridge.

AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) today announced the creation of an Offshore Wind Port Advisory Group (OSWPAG). This group will advise MaineDOT and other state officials regarding the potential development of wind port facilities needed for Maine to realize the environmental and economic benefits of the rapidly developing offshore wind market. Such facilities are integral to advancing the University of Maine's patented floating offshore wind technology and attracting offshore wind industry investment to Maine.

LISBON - The Maine Department of Transportation is performing highway reconstruction work and making other improvements along a one-mile stretch of Route 125 (Main Street) in Lisbon. The construction area begins at the intersection of Routes 125 and 196 and continues northeasterly to Huston Street. In addition to reconstructing the road, this project involves improving drainage, replacing water and sewer lines, and installing new sidewalks. Construction started on March 28th. Most of the work this year will focus on the downtown area.