News Release for September 14, 2007
Contact: Jeff Tweedie, 207-624-3480

WORK ON I-295 EXIT 3 INTERCHANGE TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK

Work on the I-295 Exit 3 Interchange project in South Portland will start on Monday, September 17th with the clearing of trees and other vegetation on the ‘golf course side’ of Broadway, where Broadway approaches Westbrook Street and Exit 3, according to MaineDOT assistant project manager Jeff Tweedie.  “Roadwork, including excavation and preparatory earthwork for drainage and utilities, will begin as soon as the clearing is completed,” says Tweedie, “…possibly as early as Wednesday, the 19th.”  The roadwork will involve reconstruction of parts of Westbrook Street and Broadway, and a new on-ramp to I-295 that includes an overpass of Westbrook Street.

“While construction is in progress, the contractor will be required to maintain traffic in both directions at all times, except for a limited number of nighttime closures that will be needed during construction of the on-ramp overpass,” Tweedie continues. “Traffic impacts will be moderate at first, but increasing over the fall. We expect the impacts to be mainly on Westbrook Street, with some lesser impacts on Broadway. While the project is under construction, through-travelers may want to avoid Crockett’s Corner (the intersection of Westbrook Street and Broadway) if possible, and seek alternate routes.”

The Exit 3 Interchange project is one of several “Maine Mall Area Roadwork” projects undertaken during the past two years by MaineDOT and the city of South Portland.  The Exit 3 construction involves creation of a new entrance ramp to I-295, which will allow right-hand turn access from Westbrook Street and Broadway at Exit 3, and will eliminate the need to cross oncoming traffic on Westbrook Street when entering I-295 northbound.

Some work was performed beginning in 2005 during Phase I of the project, when base material was placed on either side of Westbrook Street. This “pre-loading” is done to allow for settlement of the compressible soils located under the embankment, and will provide a very stable foundation on which to build the new on-ramp overpass of Westbrook Street. Funding for Phase II of the project was included in MaineDOT’s Biennial Capital Work Plan for Fiscal Years 2008-2009, and was secured, in part, with passage of the transportation bond issue this past June, enabling this and other projects to go forward.

R.J. Grondin & Sons of Gorham won the $5.6 million contract to do this work.  The contract completion date for the project is June 2009. An overall schedule for the project has not yet been finalized, but information will be provided to the public continuously as it becomes available.  For information about the project or to sign up for e-mail alerts, visit the MaineDOT home page at www.mainedot.gov.

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