MaineDOT announced today that contractors will establish a weekend lane closure on I-295 northbound lanes in Yarmouth, reducing traffic from two lanes to one from three miles south of the Royal River Bridge to just after that bridge. The lane closure will begin at approximately 9:00 p.m. on Friday, July 23 and remain in effect until 12:00 noon on Monday, July 26. The weekend lane closure will be repeated the following weekend, if weather conditions allow work to proceed.
MaineDOT?s Brad Foley stated, ?The large majority of work being done on I-295 is happening overnight allowing us to maintain two lanes of traffic during the day. But the work being done on the Royal River Bridge and the bridge approach in Yarmouth requires that we reduce traffic to one lane over this weekend and next.? Foley explained that the bridgework involves maintenance of bridge joints, removal of the bridge?s surface and inspection and maintenance of the bridgework underneath. Resurfacing the bridge deck is the last step. Milling and paving of the lanes approaching the bridge is also part of the work being done during the weekend lane closures.
The speed limit will be reduced to 55 miles per hour, and Maine State Police will be monitoring traffic in the Yarmouth work zone area. Although weekend traffic volumes are lower than weekday for this stretch of highway, delays are possible. MaineDOT encourages drivers to allow extra time for their travels if passing through this work zone.
The work being done on the Royal River Bridge in Yarmouth is just one part of an overall set of interstate improvements being completed in the greater Portland area. Overnight paving and bridgework are under way on I-295 northbound lanes between the Portland-Falmouth line and Freeport, and on the southbound lanes between Falmouth and Scarborough. Mr. Foley stated that total investment being made in 2010 on I-295 in the greater Portland area? southbound and northbound?is $20.6 million.
Information on the Greater Portland Area Interstate Improvements for I-295 including project maps, a sign-up for email alerts and more is available online at mainedot.gov.