Bar Harbor - MaineDOT said today that its contractors expect to wrap up Phase One of the reconstruction of Route 3 in Bar Harbor by Thanksgiving Day.

The project kicked off in early spring and continued throughout the busy summer season. Work began 0.57 miles west of Sand Point Road and has proceeded southward to Crooked Road. During this time, northbound traffic was detoured to Crooked Road except for periods when 2-way traffic could be maintained on Route 3. Access to homes and businesses along Route 3 has been maintained throughout the reconstruction.

Yarmouth - Main Street in Yarmouth will close at 10:00 p.m. on Friday, November 17th and will reopen on Monday, November 20th at 4:00 a.m. while crews work around the clock to demolish parts of the Route 1 bridge that spans Main Street.

There will be no motor vehicle or pedestrian access to Main Street directly under the bridge during the weekend.

Kittery - As the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge in Kittery continues to be constructed, the opening ceremony, scheduled for Friday, December 1st has been postponed.

Due to weather constraints, the opening celebration will be held in the spring of 2018. This will allow time for planning and coordination with the communities of Kittery and Portsmouth, N.H.

Planning for the event was in the early stages. This decision was made now as invitations and other material have not been produced.

The Sarah Mildred Long Bridge is still scheduled to be opened to traffic by year's end.

Hallowell - Crews will be installing catch basins and outlet pipes in Hallowell beginning on Monday, November 20th. This work is being done in anticipation of the full road reconstruction project planned for Water Street in the spring of 2018. It is being done now to comply with the sturgeon habitat work permit window. This project will have one outlet pipe flowing into the Kennebec River on Wharf Street with the other installed at the boat launch.

Augusta - New, temporary Interstate 95 on and off-ramps in Augusta are expected to open to traffic in the afternoon of Sunday, November 19th. The temporary ramps are necessary to accommodate the replacement of the recently damaged bridge over I-95.

These new access points to Whitten Road will be used by all traffic taking I-95 to points south of Augusta and for those on I-95 southbound headed east toward downtown Augusta or the Capitol Area.

Exit 109B will remain available for all I-95 southbound traffic headed west toward Manchester/Winthrop.

Augusta - As part of the Exit 109 bridge repairs in Augusta, there will be night closures on Interstate 95 near Western Avenue during the week of December 4th.

I-95 southbound lane closure: Monday, 12/4 at 8:00 p.m. until Tuesday, 12/5 at 5:00 a.m.

I-95 northbound lane closure: Tuesday, 12/5 at 8:00 p.m. until Wednesday, 12/6 at 5:00 a.m.

Traffic detours on and off I-95 will be clearly signed.

This work involves removing steel girders from both the north and southbound sides.

Dresden - An emergency culvert repair will necessitate a two-day detour on Route 127 in Dresden beginning on Thursday, January 25th.

The specific location of the culvert is 1.3 miles south of Route 197 and 1.5 miles north of Indian Road.

The two-day detour will take motorists onto Indian Road to Route 128 for approximately 3.8 miles.

The inlet of the culvert collapsed and needs immediate repair.

It is anticipated all work will be completed by the end of the day on Friday, January 26th.

Augusta - Maine's new Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), released today, focuses on a documented plan of action to address the current trend of increased fatalities.

The SHSP is developed to outline the major common areas of safety concern. The goal of this plan is to identify key transportation safety issues and to develop effective action plans that will improve public safety.

Augusta - This Thursday, February 15th, MaineDOT plans to return the Augusta Exit 109 interchange on Western Avenue back to its original configuration. The transition from the current temporary access at Whitten Road will be done in phases to ensure continuous access to I-95 southbound from Western Avenue.

AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) has sent a Notice of Intent to Award an $8.8 million contract for the construction of a new Maine State Ferry Service (MSFS) vessel to East Boothbay boatbuilder Washburn & Doughty. The company was one of five bidders ? and the only Maine shipbuilder - who submitted a proposal.