AUGUSTA - As Maine prepares to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors this Labor Day weekend, the Maine Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to be safe and announcing the next phase of work on the Piscataqua River bridge that connects Kittery to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
MaineDOT will be activating safety message boards from Friday to Monday. The three main things drivers should avoid are speeding, impairment, and distractions. It is illegal to text and drive in Maine. While the state's new hands-free cell phone law doesnt take effect until September 19th, drivers should already be getting in the habit of using hands-free devices.
The work our crews are doing to improve safety and mobility on the Piscataqua River (I-95) bridge is progressing and is about to enter a new phase after the holiday weekend. Beginning Tuesday, September 4th, southbound traffic will be restricted to two lanes in the area of the bridge to accommodate concrete demolition. This single-lane restriction will be in effect from 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday through 6:00 a.m. on Saturday. All three southbound travel lanes will remain open during the weekend. Beginning the week of September 9th, the single-lane restriction will run from Monday morning through Friday afternoon. This new traffic pattern will be in effect every week through the Columbus Day weekend.
We want to thank drivers for their attention and patience during this important bridge work. The most up-to-date information about the project is always available on the "Maine Ahead" website. The address is www.buildingabettergateway.com. We are also always updating the Maine Ahead Facebook and Twitter accounts.
We hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend in our great state.
Note to reporters: MaineDOT Public Information Officer Paul Merrill will be available for in-person interviews in Westbrook on Friday, August 30th. To schedule an interview, please call or text Paul at 207-215-9297.