News Release for August 30, 2007

Contact: Tim Hebert, 557-8914

WORK BEGINS NEXT WEEK ON BRIDGE IN MEDWAY

The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) says work will begin Tuesday, September 4th on replacement of the bridge carrying Route 116 across the West Branch of the Penobscot River in Medway.

“The existing bridge is deteriorated and needs to be replaced,” explains Tim Hebert, MaineDOT’s construction manager on the project.  “The work area begins about one-thousand feet south of the intersection of Routes 116 and 156 in Medway and extends south along Route 116 to Powerville Road.  To do this work, we’ll be closing Route 116 to all traffic and using a clearly marked detour to carry Route 116 traffic around the work area and across the river.”

MaineDOT obtained special permission from the local office of the Federal Highway Administration to build two temporary connections to I-95 on the south side of the river.

Southbound traffic on Route 116 will be detoured onto I-95 southbound on the north side of the river, cross the Penobscot on the I-95 bridge, and use a temporary ramp to Savage Street to return to Route 116, Hebert explains.  Northbound traffic on Route 116 will use Libby Street to a temporary connection to I-95 northbound at the I-95 rest area, cross the Penobscot on the I-95 bridge, and reconnect with Route 116 on the north side of the river.

“Because our connection between I-95 southbound and Route 116 on the south side of the river is a temporary exit, we will also be changing I-95 traffic patterns and speed limits while the Route 116 detour is in effect,” Hebert notes.  “I-95 Southbound in Medway will be reduced to a single lane for interstate traffic, with the other lane used for the detour.  Because of the lane restrictions, the speed limit on that section of I-95 southbound will be reduced to 55 miles-per-hour.  We don’t implement speed limit reductions on the interstate lightly, but this one is needed because of the situation.”

Hebert urged all drivers using Route 116 or I-95 in Medway to exercise extra care and caution for the coming 15 months.  “Changes in traffic patterns and speed limits create an additional need for people to slow down and pay attention.  It’s the easiest, most effective way to provide added safety for drivers, passengers and construction workers,” he concluded.

The contract for the project, awarded to Reed & Reed Inc of Woolwich, ME on a bid of just over $4-million, calls for completion of the project in mid-December of 2008.

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