Motorists who utilize Main Street in Newport should be aware of possible delays later this week due to construction work on the Main Street Bridge which carries Route 2 traffic over the east branch of the Sebasticook River in downtown Newport.
Traffic over the bridge will be reduced to one lane of alternating, one-way traffic regulated by flaggers as crews begin work on the shoulders and slope areas along the sides of the road leading up to the bridge. Work is expected to last two to three weeks.
This preliminary work is in advance of a full road and bridge closure, which is scheduled to begin on May 1, and continue until Labor Day (September 5, 2011). The existing Main Street Bridge was built in 1930.
When the bridge is closed starting May 1, smaller vehicle traffic will be directed to a detour that utilizes North Street and Elm Street. Larger truck traffic will be directed to a detour that uses Route 7, Route 222, and Route 143. All detour routes will be appropriately signed.
Once this preliminary work is completed on the Main Street Bridge in the next few weeks, crews will then make repairs to the detour bridge on North Street, and will repave part of the North Street/Elm Street detour route.
CPM Constructors of Freeport, Maine is the contractor for this $1.7 million project.