News Release for August 22, 2008
For More Information: Herb Thomson or Mark Latti, Office of Communications - 207-624-3030
Tim Cusick, Highway Maintenance Superintendent - 885-7000

MINOT ROAD REPAIRS TO REQUIRE NEW DETOUR NEXT WEEK

Starting Monday, August 25 at 7:00 a.m., the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) will close to through-traffic a portion of Route 124 just south of the village of West Minot in order to replace culverts damaged by flash flooding following a heavy storm last Saturday, August 16. The closure is scheduled last through 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 29. Local traffic will continue to have access to Route 124 from the north and south of the repair location.

The two culverts to be replaced include one deep culvert and a second culvert located within a segment of roadway that extends approximately one-half mile south of the intersection of Routes 119 and 124 in West Minot. The southernmost culvert is located in the vicinity of a cemetery on that section of road.

MaineDOT traffic engineers have designed a detour on state-jurisdiction roads that includes Route 121, Route 26, Route 117, and Route 119 through Hebron. Signage will be erected this weekend, and variable message signage is already in place to notify travelers about the work to be done next week.

The detour will lengthen the detour route that is already in place around a location on Route 119, where a large box culvert was also washed out by the storm, necessitating a detour that has been in place since the storm took place. The current detour includes a portion of Route 124. MaineDOT is still assessing options for the best approach to replacement of the large Route 119 culvert, and at this time, work on that Route 119 culvert has not been scheduled. After next week’s work on the Route 124 culverts is completed, the detour route currently in place for the washed-out culvert on Route 119 will be re-established.

MaineDOT maintenance forces will be working with Shaw Brothers Construction to conduct this work. Completion of the work in the scheduled time frame will depend on favorable weather conditions. While MaineDOT has scheduled the project to continue all five weekdays next week, it may be possible to re-open Route 124 sooner than the scheduled completion time of next Friday at 5:00 p.m. if the work goes more quickly than planned.

For more information, please contact Herb Thomson or Mark Latti by phone at 624-3030, or Tim Cusick at 885-7000.

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