PORTLAND - The Maine Department of Transportation is beginning construction work on the replacement of the Veranda Street Bridge in Portland. The bridge carries I-295 over Veranda Street. The structure is 60 years old and needs to be replaced. This project also involves a reconfiguration of the roadways beneath the bridge to improve mobility and safety.

Crews will begin mobilizing equipment and doing utility work during the week of March 8th. There will be minimal traffic impacts on Veranda Street and no traffic impacts on the interstate at this time.

The Maine Department of Transportation is sharing this major traffic alert from the City of Portland.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 5, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT: Jessica Grondin - 207-272-7885

**MAJOR TRAFFIC ALERT**

YARMOUTH - Beginning next week, the Maine Department of Transportation will be impacting traffic on the Bayview Street Bridge in Yarmouth. This bridge carries Bayview Street over I-295. MaineDOT is beginning work on a project to replace the deck of the bridge, add a sidewalk on the south side of the bridge, and increase the height of the bridge rail on both sides of the bridge. The contractor on this project is CPM Constructors of Freeport, and the contract amount is $1,687,258.

AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation will be assisting the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and the Maine Turnpike Authority with a virtual public meeting to discuss the ongoing "Maine Ahead" project on the Piscataqua River (I-95) Bridge. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss capacity improvements to the interstate during peak travel times by allowing travel on the low-speed shoulder as needed.

PORTLAND - The Maine Department of Transportation will be rehabilitating the southbound I-295 exit ramp at Washington Ave. (Exit 8) in Portland. The off-ramp wearing surface needs to be replaced. Work is scheduled to begin on March 29th. The exit ramp lane will be narrowed to a single lane from March 29th through mid-June. The project is expected to be fully completed by November 5th. This work is not expected to impact traffic on I-295 or Washington Ave. As a reminder, drivers should use extreme caution while passing work crews.

CAMDEN - The ongoing Maine Department of Transportation project in the Town of Camden will begin impacting downtown traffic again during the week of April 12th. This work involves making sidewalk and draining improvements on Elm Street (Route 1). The project area begins at Union Street and extends north approximately one-quarter of a mile, just past Bay View Street. The upcoming work will also impact Commercial Street.

AUGUSTA- The Maine Department of Transportation closed the Maine State Ferry Service Rockland Ferry Terminal Wednesday morning in response to an employee testing positive for COVID-19. During the building closure, members of the traveling public can still board ferries in Rockland. They will be able to pay their fares upon arrival at the island terminals.

AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) has awarded the construction contract for the Madawaska-Edmundston International Bridge Project to Reed & Reed, Inc. of Woolwich. The construction phase of this project is the result of a productive collaboration between MaineDOT and the New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (NBDTI). This project also involves detailed coordination with federal agencies in both the United States and Canada.

EAST BOOTHBAY - Governor Janet Mills and the Maine Department of Transportation in conjunction with its contracting partners at Washburn & Doughty Associates, Inc. will launch the Capt. Richard G. Spear ferry in East Boothbay on Friday morning.

WHO:

Governor Janet T. Mills
Bruce A. Van Note - Commissioner, Maine Department of Transportation
Dr. William J. Brennan - President, Maine Maritime Academy
Katie Doughty Maddox - President, Washburn & Doughty Associates, Inc.
Linda Spear - Ferry Sponsor

WHAT:

EAST BOOTHBAY - This morning, Governor Janet Mills and the Maine Department of Transportation in conjunction with its contracting partners at Washburn & Doughty Associates, Inc. launched the Capt. Richard G. Spear.