News Release for August 29, 2007

Contact: John Rodrigue, 592 - 0428

CHINA BRIDGE PROJECT TO CLOSE ROUTE 202/9

The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) says work has begun on replacement of a large culvert carrying US Route 202/Maine Route 9 over Muldoon Stream in China just south of their intersection with Route 137.  The project will include a full road closure between September 4th and September 12th.

“The existing metal culvert, installed in the 1970’s, has deteriorated to the point it needs to be replaced,” explains John Rodrigue, MaineDOT’s construction manager on the project.  “We’ll be removing the exiting culvert and installing a new concrete box-shaped culvert, but to do that, we need to completely close the road in the immediate vicinity of the stream.”

The road closure is currently scheduled to begin on Tuesday, September 4th and be in place through Wednesday, September 12th.  “During the closure, passenger cars and light vehicles will use Causeway Road as a detour,” Rodrigue explains.  “However, both US 202 and Causeway Road will be closed to heavy trucks, which will be following a longer, more extensive detour route.”

The truck detour, with signs posted as far away as Augusta, Waterville and South China, will direct trucks onto Routes 201, 32 and 137, routing them away from the work area, Rodrigue explains, noting that the truck detour will only be in place while Route 202 is closed to all traffic.  “Before and after the closure, we’ll still be working at the worksite, but we’ll also be providing two-lane traffic or one-lane alternating one-way traffic if necessary.  The only time trucks will be prohibited from Causeway Road is when Route 202 is completely closed.”

The contract for the project, awarded to Nitram Inc. of Benton on a bid of nearly $236-thousand, calls for completion of all work on the project by late September.

#   #   #