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MaineDOT News Releases
Following are the latest news releases issued by The Maine Department of Transportation.
News Release for May 26, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
OXFORD COUNTY - The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work on approximately 13 mils of Route 5/113 in Oxford County. The project area begins north of Route 117 in Hiram and extends north, through Brownfield, ending south of Pine Street in Fryeburg. Work is scheduled to begin on May 30th and be completed by July 28th. The contractor on this project is Glidden Excavating & Paving, Inc. of Gorham. The contract amount is $2,112,394.
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News Release for May 26, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
PENOBSCOT COUNTY - The Maine Department of Transportation will be making pavement improvements in various locations on both the northbound and southbound sides of I-95 between Old Town and Medway in Penobscot County. Work is scheduled to begin on May 30th and be complete by June 23rd. Drivers may encounter reduced lanes and speeds. The contractor on this project is Indus of Braintree, MA. The contract amount is $470,755.
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News Release for May 22, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
TRENTON - Today, the Maine Department of Transportation joined with local, state, and federal partners from both the public and private sectors to celebrate the beginning of construction on the new Acadia Gateway Center in Trenton.
This project represents the culmination of years of partnering and planning to create a welcome center and transit hub for Downeast Maine and Acadia National Park. Once completed, the Acadia Gateway Center will serve as a location where visitors can access regional tourism information, purchase park entrance passes, and connect with transit options to help them explore the region car-free. This project will incorporate several sustainability features, including a geothermal heating and cooling system, a rooftop solar panel array, and electric vehicle charging stations.
"Partnerships and perseverance pay off," said Bruce Van Note, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation. "The team at MaineDOT is proud to be delivering this long-awaited project. We are grateful to our partners at the Federal Transit Administration, the National Park Service, Friends of Acadia, and Downeast Transportation. Not only will the Acadia Gateway Center enhance the experiences of the millions of visitors who come to this region every year, but also it will have long-lasting economic and sustainability impacts on the Downeast region."
The new Acadia Gateway Center is being constructed on a site in Trenton that sits between Ellsworth and Mount Desert Island; its location was designed to intercept traffic traveling south on Route 3 before arriving onto Mount Desert Island.
"The Town of Trenton is pleased to see the completion of this project," said Fred Ehrlenbach, First Selectman for the Town of Trenton. "The permitting of the Acadia Gateway Center and the Downeast Transportation facility is the result of collaboration between MaineDOT and the town. Hopefully, the visitors and locals alike will take advantage of this free transportation service."
With nearly four million visits, Acadia National Park was the fifth most visited national park in 2022. According to a recent report by the Maine Office of Tourism, visitors to Downeast Maine (including Acadia) had an economic impact of more than $1.5 billion last year.
"National Parks are a popular destination for travelers, and as one of the most visited, Acadia is a major draw for travel to Maine," said Steve Lyons, Director of the Maine Office of Tourism. "The new transportation hub in Trenton will improve the visitor experience with expanded park access and information about regional and statewide attractions."
Current construction represents the final two phases of work that began more than 20 years ago. The first phase, completed in 2012, included the construction of a park-and-ride lot as well as office space and a bus maintenance facility for Downeast Transportation, which operates the Island Explorer shuttle.
"First enshrined in a memorandum of understanding among 20 partners in 1999, completion of the Acadia Gateway Center marks the realization of Island Explorer's Phase 3 and the culmination of a quarter century of planning, partnership, and perseverance," said Paul Murphy, Executive Director of Downeast Transportation, Inc. "We stand on the shoulders of visionaries, too many of whom are gone and unable to see the ultimate fruit of their great work, for which we are unspeakably grateful."
The Friends of Acadia began working on this project with the other partners in 2002. In 2007, FOA purchased the land being used for the park-and-ride lot, bus maintenance facility, and welcome center and sold it to MaineDOT. The group has remained a partner throughout planning efforts and is funding part of the Acadia Gateway Center construction.
"Thank you to all of the donors who helped make this exciting project possible," said Eric Stiles, President & CEO of Friends of Acadia. "The Acadia Gateway Center is critically important infrastructure to help ensure that Acadia's visitors have a positive experience. With park visitation on the rise, it will reduce traffic congestion by providing vital opportunities for a car-free experience in the park."
In addition to private support from Friends of Acadia and public support from MaineDOT, the National Park Service and Federal Transit Administration are also providing funding for the Acadia Gateway Center.
"The Acadia Gateway Center will transform how visitors experience Acadia National Park and the surrounding communities by improving access to regional tourism information and the Island Explorer bus system," said Acadia National Park Superintendent Kevin Schneider. "We are incredibly grateful to MaineDOT, the Federal Transit Administration, the Town of Trenton, and Friends of Acadia for making this idea a reality."
"The Federal Transit Administration is proud to support the Acadia Gateway Center, which will provide an easy jumping-off point for the millions of annual visitors to the park and encourage people to leave their cars behind," said FTA Regional Administrator Peter Butler. "FTA's support of this well-thought-out project is part of our work to continue to make better travel experiences, improve air quality, and take a bite out of climate change."
"Many of my favorite family memories have been made in Maine's great outdoors," said Senator Angus King, Chairman of the Senate National Parks Subcommittee. "When someone asks me what they should do on their trip to Maine, I always tell them to get outside, and there are few better places to do it than Acadia National Park. The new Acadia Gateway Center is an excellent example of how the federal and state governments can work together with local organizations to expand opportunities for the park and its surrounding communities. This transportation hub will streamline the visitor experience, reduce road congestion for the people lucky enough to live here, and protect the lands so people can continue to enjoy them for years. I'm grateful to Acadia's partners for their continued work on this project to keep our outdoors open and accessible."
In March, MaineDOT awarded the Acadia Gateway Center construction contract to Nickerson & O'Day of Brewer for $27.7 million. On-site construction work started in early May. The project is scheduled to be finished by May 2025.
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News Release for May 19, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
CLINTON - The Maine Department of Transportation will be closing the I-95 Exit 138 on- and off-ramps in Clinton for two nights early next week to accommodate paving work. The ramps will be closed from 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 21st until 6:00 a.m. on Monday, May 22nd and from 9:00 p.m. on Monday, May 22nd until 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 23rd. Detour routes will be marked by signage.
This is part of a project that involves doing paving work and making other drainage and safety improvements on both sides of I-95 between Waterville and Pittsfield. The contractor on this project is Northeast Paving of Hermon. The contract amount is $11,819,411.
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News Release for May 18, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
TRENTON - On Monday, the Maine Department of Transportation will join with local, state, and federal partners from both the public and private sectors to celebrate the beginning of construction on the Acadia Gateway Center in Trenton.
This project represents the culmination of years of partnering and planning to create a welcome center and transit hub to service Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park. Once completed, the Acadia Gateway Center will serve as a location where visitors can access park information, purchase park entrance passes, and connect with transit options to help them explore the region car-free. This project will incorporate several sustainability features, including a geothermal heating and cooling system, a rooftop solar panel array, and electric vehicle charging stations.
WHO:
Bruce Van Note - Commissioner, Maine Department of Transportation
Fred Ehrlenbach - First Selectman, Town of Trenton
Hannah Collins - Deputy Director, Maine Office of Tourism
Paul Murphy - Executive Director, Downeast Transportation, Inc.
Eric Stiles - President & CEO, Friends of Acadia
Kevin Schneider - Superintendent, Acadia National Park Superintendent
Peter Butler - Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration
Sen. Angus King
WHAT:
Press conference at site of construction of the new Acadia Gateway Center
Project renderings available
WHERE:
Future Site of Acadia Gateway Center
Gateway Center Drive
Trenton, Maine
WHEN:
Monday, May 22nd
1:00 p.m.
Please arrive at the Trenton Park & Ride lot on Gateway Center Drive by noon. Island Explorer shuttles will bring attendees to the event site.
Be advised the event will take place at an active construction site. Please wear appropriate footwear.
Following the event, please join us for a reception at the Downeast Transportation facility at 117 Gateway Center Drive.
Island Explorer shuttles will be available to bring attendees back from the event site.
In the event of rain, all events will take place at the Downeast Transportation facility at 117 Gateway Center Drive.
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News Release for May 16, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
GRAY - The Maine Department of Transportation will be making drainage improvements on part of Depot Road in Gray. The project area is less than half a mile - running along Depot Road from east of the railroad tracks to Town Farm Road. Crews will be installing catch basins and culverts, reconstructing shoulders, and paving the road. This work is scheduled to begin on May 17th and be finished by June 5th. Drivers should expect a one-way alternating traffic pattern during construction. The contractor on this project is A.H. Grover Inc. of North Yarmouth. The contract amount is $557,905.
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News Release for May 12, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WATERVILLE TO PITTSFIELD - The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work and making other drainage and safety improvements on both sides of I-95 between Waterville and Pittsfield. The work area goes from the Webb Road Bridge in Waterville to the Johnson Flat Road overpass in Pittsfield on the northbound side and from Exit 130 to the Webb Road Bridge in Waterville on the southbound side. The project also involves the weigh station in Pittsfield on the northbound side. Work is scheduled to begin on May 14th and be finished by June 25th. Most work is expected to be night work. Drivers should expect lane restrictions. The contractor on this project is Northeast Paving of Hermon. The contract amount is $11,819,411.
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News Release for May 12, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
HARTLAND - The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work and making drainage and safety improvements on Route 152 in Hartland. The project area begins north of Ford Hill Road and extends north for nearly 1.5 miles. Work is scheduled to start on May 15th and be finished by June 30th. Drivers should expect a single-lane, alternating traffic pattern. The contractor on this project is Hopkins Paving of Hermon. The contract amount is $1.2 million
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News Release for May 12, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
KITTERY - The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work and making other drainage and safety improvements on Route 1 in Kittery. The project area runs approximately two miles between Adams Drive and Lewis Road. Work is scheduled to begin on May 14th and be finished by June 30th. Drivers may encounter lane shifts, lane restrictions, and alternating one-way traffic patterns controlled by flaggers. Most work will take place overnight between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. to minimize delays and impacts. The contractor on this project is Pike Industries, Inc. of Fairfield. The contract amount is $4,337,465.
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News Release for May 12, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
PITTSFIELD TO FAIRFIELD - The Maine Department of Transportation is doing paving work and making other safety improvements along a 16-mile-long stretch of the southbound side of I-95 from Pittsfield to Fairfield. The project area begins at the Exit 150 interchange in Pittsfield and ends at the Kennebec River in Fairfield. Work began this week and is scheduled to be finished by August 1st. Drivers should expect permanent lane closures between now and June 23rd. After June 23rd, the contractor will only be allowed overnight lane closures from Sunday nights through Saturday mornings beginning at 7:00 p.m. and ending at 6:00 a.m. the following day. The contractor on this project is Northeast Paving of Hermon. The contract amount is $5,941,831.
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News Release for May 10, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
GARDINER/RICHMOND - The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work on Route 201 in Gardiner and Richmond. The project area begins at the intersection with Route 197 in Richmond and extends northeast for approximately six miles. Work is scheduled to begin on May 15th and be finished by July 1st. Drivers should expect daily lane closures during daytime hours on Mondays through Saturdays. The contractor on this project is Northeast Paving of Lewiston, and the contract amount is $1.2 million.
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News Release for May 10, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
SOMERSET COUNTY - The Maine Department of Transportation is doing road construction and paving work on Route 2 in Pittsfield and Palmyra. The project area begins near Pooler Road in Pittsfield and extends east for nine miles, ending at the Newport town line. Drivers should expect Route 2 to be reduced to a single lane on weekdays between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. This project started on May 8th and is scheduled to be completed by July 1st. The contractor on this project is Pike Industries. The contract amount is $3,689,000.
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News Release for May 9, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
BATH - The Maine Department of Transportation will be performing an inspection of the Sagadahoc Bridge next week - from May 15th to May 19th. This bridge carries Route 1 over the Kennebec River between Bath and Woolwich. The Federal Highway Administration requires this inspection be completed at least every two years. This is a scheduled inspection to meet that requirement. This inspection work will impact traffic. There will be right lane and shoulder closures between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day to allow space for the equipment used to inspect under the bridge. Message Boards will be in place to provide notice for the traveling public.
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News Release for May 5, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
FALMOUTH - As part of the ongoing work to replace the bridge that carries Bucknam Road over I-295 in Falmouth, the Maine Department of Transportation will be performing intermittent rolling closures of I-295 at Exit 10 on four separate nights next week. Each rolling closure will last no longer than 25 minutes. Please expect multiple rolling closures each night. These rolling closures will occur between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. These closures are required to accommodate the installation of structural steel bridge girders. Maine State Police will assist MaineDOT. The department will also be using message boards to alert drivers of the closures. During the rolling closures, northbound interstate traffic will use Exit 9, and southbound interstate traffic will use Exit 10. Additionally, the Bucknam Road Bridge will be closed between the northbound and southbound exit ramp intersections during the overnight hours (between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.) on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights.
This is part of an ongoing project to replace the bridges that carry Bucknam Road and Johnson Road over I-295 in Falmouth. The work on Bucknam Road began last year and will continue into 2024. On-site work on Johnson Road is expected to begin in late 2024. The estimated completion date for both bridge replacement projects is December 12th, 2025.
The contractor on this project is Wyman & Simpson, Inc. of Richmond. The contract amount is $19,574,460.
We appreciate the public's continued patience regarding these interstate closures.
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News Release for May 3, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - The GO MAINE statewide travel resource and trip-reduction program is excited to launch 2023's first Way 2 GO MAINE Commuter Challenge. This friendly competition between Maine residents, organizations, and employers encourages everyone to walk, bike, carpool/vanpool, take the bus, ride the ferry, take the train, or work from home. Grand prizes include a Maine State Park vehicle pass, a $200 gift card, a National Park pass, and two bike shop gift cards.
Since 2017, the Way 2 GO MAINE challenge has highlighted green trip options and recognized commuters around the state for their commitment to improving air quality and taking miles off Maine's roads. Now with challenges in May and October, Way 2 GO MAINE builds awareness for active and green commutes while rewarding residents who contribute to reducing single-occupancy vehicle travel.
Throughout May, Maine residents (and commuters who work in Maine) can log green trips at gomaine.org or through the app for a chance to win a $50 gift card every week. Members are encouraged to share photos on social media using #Way2GOMAINE! or by emailing rides@gomaine.org. Each week, a different green commute trip will be featured; members logging that week's trip type will automatically be entered to win. Weekly themes are:
- May 1-6 - Carpool & Vanpool
- May 7-13 - Transit (bus, ferry, train)
- May 14-20 - Active Transportation (bike, walk, roll, scooter)
- May 21-31 - Transportation Climate Action (every green trip counts!)
GO MAINE is free to join! Plus, new members who join during Way 2 GO MAINE will be entered to win a $100 gift card.
For more details on Way 2 GO MAINE, visit gomaine.org/way-2-go-maine/faq/.
GO MAINE is a program of the Maine Department of Transportation and the Maine Turnpike Authority. All GO MAINE programs and services are free. More information on the GO MAINE program can be found at gomaine.org. Organizations interested in organizing their own GO MAINE program are welcome to contact Emily Becker, Program Manager, at emily@gomaine.org.
ADDITIONAL MEDIA CONTACT:
Emily Becker
GO MAINE Program Manager
857-383-3808
emily@gomaine.org
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News Release for May 2, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WESTBROOK - The Maine Department of Transportation is doing paving work on part of Route 25 in Westbrook. The project area begins near Larrabee Road and continues northwest along Route 25 for approximately one mile, ending near Captain Bill Hartley Avenue. The work is paving work with safety and drainage improvements. Two-way traffic will be maintained throughout the duration of this project, but drivers should expect lane closures. There will also be sidewalk closures. Work began on May 1st and is scheduled to be completed by September 7th. The contractor for this project is Shaw Brothers Construction of Gorham. The contact amount is $2,657,543.
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News Release for April 27, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
YARMOUTH - The Maine Department of Transportation will be closing the I-295 Exit 15 northbound off-ramp overnight on Thursday to make pavement repairs. The ramp will be closed from 8:00 p.m. on April 27th until 6:00 a.m. on April 28th.
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News Release for April 21, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
BANGOR - The Maine Department of Transportation will be performing an inspection of the bridge on I-395 over Main Street in Bangor on the evening of Tuesday, April 25th. Work will start at 6:30 p.m. and is expected to be finished before the morning commute on Wednesday, April 26th. Drivers should expect frequent lanes changes and exit ramp closures during the inspection. During the first phase, the Exit 3A eastbound on ramp (from Town Farm Road) will be closed for a several hours. During the second phase, the Exit 3 westbound on ramp will be closed. Drivers are encouraged to slow down and pay attention to construction signs. This work is being done in advance of a bridge joint repair project. As is the case with all outdoor construction work, this schedule may change based on weather conditions.
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News Release for April 21, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
YARMOUTH - The Maine Department of Transportation will be closing the I-295 Exit 15 northbound off-ramp overnight on Wednesday to make pavement repairs. The ramp will be closed from 8:00 p.m. on April 26th until 6:00 a.m. on April 27th.
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News Release for April 20, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
KITTERY - The Maine Department of Transportation will be performing an inspection of the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge from April 24th to April 28th. This lift bridge carries the Route 1 Bypass over the Piscataqua River between Kittery, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The Federal Highway Administration requires this inspection be completed at least every two years. This is a scheduled inspection to meet that requirement. This inspection work will impact traffic.
There will be a lane shift in place between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. for the duration of the inspection. In addition, there will be periodic full closures of the bridge between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Monday, April 24th and Tuesday, April 25th. During these two days, we expect at least four full closures. Each closure will be limited to no longer than 90 minutes. Traffic will be detoured to the Memorial Bridge or the Piscataqua River (I-95) Bridge during bridge closures.
The lift span will be operated over the course of the week at non-peak travel times for the purpose of inspection of the mechanical and electrical components. These operations will not detour traffic and will be similar to a bridge lift for ship passage.
Hardesty and Hanover of Yarmouth will be conducting this inspection. The cost of the work is $138,949.
This schedule may change due to weather conditions.
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News Release for April 19, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
BRUNSWICK/TOPSHAM - The Maine Department of Transportation will be performing a bridge inspection of the Frank J. Wood Bridge between Tuesday, April 25th and Thursday, April 27th. This bridge carries Route 201 between Brunswick and Topsham. Because of the poor condition of the fracture critical Frank J. Wood Bridge, MaineDOT engineers inspect it every six months instead of the normal every 24 month frequency. Construction of a new bridge will begin later this spring.
This inspection work will impact traffic. Drivers should expect impacts between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on all three days. Southbound traffic moving from Topsham to Brunswick will be able to cross the bridge. Northbound traffic from Brunswick to Topsham will be detoured to the Topsham Bypass and Route 196.
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News Release for April 19, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
ELIOT - The Maine Department of Transportation will be replacing a culvert on Route 103 in Eliot. MaineDOT crews will be replacing an aging 18-inch culvert with a larger 24-inch one. This work requires the full closure of part of Route 103 from 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 25th until 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26th. The closure area is between Harold L. Dow Highway (Route 236) and Worcester Road, approximately 1/4 mile east of the intersection with Harold L. Dow Highway. Detoured traffic should use Dow Highway, Beech Road, and State Road in Eliot. MaineDOT has set up message boards to notify drivers of the closure and detours.
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News Release for April 18, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WEST GARDINER - National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is being observed from Monday, April 17th through Friday, April 21st, 2023. Since 2000, NWZAW has highlighted the deadly dangers of inattention at highway work areas. The theme of this year's nationwide observance is, "You play a role in work zone safety. Work with us."
Every year, Maine averages more than 500 crashes and two fatalities in work zones. In 2022, our state experienced 541 work zone crashes, resulting in 164 injuries and two deaths. While these numbers encompass all crashes that took place in areas designated as work zones, they represent incidents that occurred in proximity to areas where crews may be working near traffic. Historically, the leading causes of work zone crashes are drivers following too closely, being distracted, and failing to yield.
Today, the Maine Turnpike Authority, Maine Department of Transportation, Maine State Police, Associated General Contractors of Maine, and AAA Northern New England joined together in West Gardiner to highlight the importance of driving safely in work zones.
"Traffic volumes on the Maine Turnpike are back to pre-pandemic levels, and in some cases, they are higher than they were in 2019," said Peter Merfeld, Chief Operations Office for the Maine Turnpike Authority. "The speed of drivers through our work zones is too high. Slowing down and remaining alert when driving through a work zone helps ensure that our crews and our contracting partners make it home safely at the end of each day."
"Work zone safety is a priority for MaineDOT and our contracting partners," said Shawn Smith, Senior Project Manager for MaineDOT. "Work zones are meant to provide crews a safe work area. They are also meant to provide a safe route for travelers to pass through work areas. Driver behavior is critical part of a safe, successful, and efficient work zone formula. Driving with attention, with courtesy, with patience, and at the advisory speed limit helps everyone arrive at their destinations and our crews return home safely at the end of their shifts."
Sgt. Jodell Wilkinson of the Maine State Police said, "Every day, law enforcement officers, highway crews, and tow truck drivers work within inches of people's vehicles, and every day, we see drivers not paying attention, putting their lives at risk as well as ours. Work zones need a driver's undivided attention. Motorists should be alert, slow down, and move over if possible. Risky driving behavior puts us all at risk."
Kelly Flagg, Executive Director of Associated General Contractors of Maine, said, "Construction crews are entering another busy season of improving our state highways and roads. We need every single driver to help us by slowing down in work zones, putting down phones, and paying attention. The combination of speed and distracted driving is constantly on our minds in the construction industry. While we can continue adding new technology, signs, and improvements to keep our workers safe, we are pleading with the public to help us this construction season. Nothing is more important than ensuring every worker can go home at night to see his or her family."
"The AAA Foundation for Traffic recently surveyed tow truck workers, emergency responders, and road maintenance workers and found that 60 percent of those surveyed had experienced a near miss while working on the roadside, while 15 percent had survived being hit by a passing vehicle," said Pat Moody, Manager of Public Affairs & Government Affairs with AAA Northern New England. "As motorists, we need to keep our brains and eyes active when approaching and navigating through work zones and around roadside emergencies. Slow down, move over, and stay alert."
Members of the public are encouraged to wear orange on Wednesday, April 19th to raise awareness about work zone safety.
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News Release for April 14, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WEST GARDINER - National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) will be observed from Monday, April 17th through Friday, April 21st, 2023. For more than two decades, NWZAW has highlighted the deadly dangers of inattention at highway work areas. The theme of this year's nationwide observance is, "You play a role in work zone safety. Work with us."
On Tuesday, April 18th, the Maine Turnpike Authority, Maine Department of Transportation, Maine State Police, Associated General Contractors of Maine, and AAA Northern New England will participate in a press conference at the Maine Turnpike Authority's maintenance facility in West Gardiner. Speakers will highlight the importance of driving safely in work zones.
As a reminder, motorists are encouraged to slow to posted speed limits, eliminate distractions while driving, and be watchful for roadway workers and their equipment.
We are also encouraging everyone to wear orange on Wednesday, April 19th to raise awareness about work zone safety. Orange traffic cone pins will be available at Tuesday's press conference.
WHO:
Peter Merfeld - Maine Turnpike Authority
Shawn Smith - Maine Department of Transportation
Sgt. Jodell Wilkinson - Maine State Police
Kelly Flagg - Associated General Contractors of Maine
Pat Moody - AAA Northern New England
WHAT:
Interviews and information about work zone safety
WHERE:
Maine Turnpike Authority, West Gardiner Maintenance Facility
199 Lewiston Rd.
West Gardiner, Maine
WHEN:
Tuesday, April 18th
11:00 a.m.
ADDITIONAL MEDIA CONTACT:
Rebecca Grover - Maine Turnpike Authority
207-838-6795
rgrover@maineturnpike.com
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News Release for April 10, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
LEVANT - The Maine Department of Transportation experienced a culvert failure in Levant on Saturday, April 8th. The culvert that failed allows the Black Stream to pass under Lake Road in Levant. While the culvert that failed is nearly 40 years old, it had not been showing any immediate signs of potential failure and was listed in fair condition. The culvert is a MaineDOT asset, but the road is a town road that serves approximately 500 vehicles on an average day.
The department is beginning design work to replace this culvert with either a new culvert or a bridge. This project was already scheduled in our current three-year Work Plan. We will do our best to expedite what work we can, but Lake Road is not expected to reopen until 2024 or 2025. There is a local detour that is approximately six miles long. MaineDOT apologizes for the inconvenience this will cause local drivers.
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News Release for April 6, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WOODSTOCK - The Maine Department of Transportation is conducting the final phase of a multi-year road construction project on part of Route 26 in Woodstock. The work area begins just east of Rumford Avenue and extends west for approximately 2.5 miles. This project involves highway rehabilitation, the installation of a box culvert, and various other drainage and safety improvements.
This latest phase of work began on April 3rd. During the next few months, drivers should expect single-lane closures with an alternating, one-way traffic pattern. The project started in February 2021 and is scheduled to be finished by this July.
The contractor on this project is Gordon Contracting of Sangerville. The contract amount is $9,940,746.
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News Release for April 4, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
SOUTH BERWICK - The Maine Department of Transportation is making traffic and safety improvements on the intersection of Routes 236 and 91 in South Berwick. The work involves improving turn lanes on Route 236, adding traffic signals, and making drainage improvements. Work began on March 28th and is scheduled to be completed on December 1st. Drivers should expect a single-lane traffic pattern during this work. Wide loads will be prohibited. The contractor on this project is R.J. Grondin & Sons of Gorham. The contract amount is $3,328,795.
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News Release for March 27, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WATERVILLE/WINSLOW - The Maine Department of Transportation is beginning on-site construction work to replace the Ticonic Bridge, which carries Bridge Street (Routes 137 and 201) over the Kennebec River between Waterville and Winslow.
The current Ticonic Bridge's concrete arch dates to the early 20th century, when the bridge carried a trolley line. Other sections of the bridge were replaced in 1936 after a flood washed away the original steel truss. The bridge was further widened in 1970. The current bridge is more than 100 years old and has deteriorated to the point that the end of its useful life is near. Further attempts to repair or rehabilitate it will not restore the full integrity of the bridge to meet modern safety needs.
The new bridge will be constructed on the same alignment as the current one. The new structure will be a two-span bridge with a single concrete pier in the river. The bridge will be made of steel girders with a concrete bridge deck. Like the existing bridge, the new bridge will carry five lanes of traffic. The new structure will also feature widened shoulders and include sidewalks on both sides. Replacing the Ticonic Bridge with an improved structure that will provide long-term reliability will greatly enhance other infrastructure investments being made in Waterville by the city and Colby College.
On-site construction work is scheduled to begin on Monday, April 3rd. Drivers should expect daytime and nighttime lane closures. In late August 2023, the Ticonic Bridge will be closed to westbound vehicle traffic, and westbound vehicles will be detoured to Carter Memorial Bridge so that the upstream half of the bridge can be built. In September 2023, pedestrian traffic will be detoured to Two Cent Bridge. Ticonic Bridge is scheduled to be fully closed from November 2024 until April 2025, when eastbound traffic and pedestrian traffic are scheduled to begin using the first new half of the bridge. At that time, westbound vehicle traffic will continue to be detoured to Carter Memorial Bridge. The Ticonic Bridge will fully reopen to both eastbound and westbound traffic along with pedestrian traffic around September 2026, and all contract work will be complete by May 2027.
The contractor on this project is Cianbro of Pittsfield. The contract amount is $52.85 million. This project is the recipient of a 2020 Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for $25 million.
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News Release for March 18, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
JEFFERSON - The Maine Department of Transportation reopened Route 17 in Jefferson to traffic last night at approximately 6:30 p.m. The road had been closed east of Route 32 (near Peaslee's Quick Stop) following a February 21st culvert collapse. This road closure required an 11-mile traffic detour.
Department contracting partners at T Buck Construction of Turner completed the work one week ahead of schedule. The new culvert is bigger than the one that collapsed to increase the resiliency of the infrastructure. This new culvert has an expected service life of 100 years. The amount of the construction contract that involved this work is $1,496,111.
MaineDOT would like to thank everyone who helped accelerate the timeline on this important job. We would also like to thank the members of the traveling public for their patience and understanding.
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News Release for March 17, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
CUMBERLAND COUNTY - The Maine Department of Transportation will be resuming night work on the approximately 7.5 miles of I-295 in Portland and South Portland (between the Scarborough and Falmouth town lines). Crews will be replacing paving and median walls while also working to improve drainage and safety. Work on this project had been suspended for the winter but will resume on Sunday, March 19th. Crews are permitted to work between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., beginning Sunday nights and ending Friday mornings. All project work is scheduled to be finished by October 15th. The contractor on this project is Pike Industries, Inc. of Westbrook. The contract amount is $19,796,315.
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News Release for March 17, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
LISBON - The Maine Department of Transportation is resuming highway reconstruction work on Route 125 (Main Street) in Lisbon. Work on this project started in March 2022 but was suspended during the winter. Work will resume on Monday, March 20th. The construction area begins at the intersection of Routes 125 and 196 and continues northeasterly to Huston Street. In addition to reconstructing the road, this project involves improving drainage, replacing water and sewer lines, and installing new sidewalks. All work is scheduled to be completed by December 8th. The contractor on this project is McGee Construction of West Gardiner. The contract amount is $7,518,000.
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News Release for February 28, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
JEFFERSON - The Maine Department of Transportation will be replacing a culvert on Route 17 in Jefferson. The new culvert will be bigger than the previous one to increase the resiliency of this infrastructure. This new culvert has an expected life of 100 years. This work requires the full closure of part of Route 17 until March 24, 2023. The closure area is east of Route 32, near Peaslee's Quick Stop. Detoured traffic should use Route 32, Route 126, and Route 220.
The contractor on this project is T Buck Construction of Turner. The contract amount is $1,496,111.00.
Original Press Release JEFFERSON - A large culvert on Route 17 in Jefferson collapsed earlier this evening. The location of the culvert is east of Route 32, near Peaslee's Quick Stop. MaineDOT Crews have set up an 11-mile detour utilizing Route 32, Route 126, and Route 220, until an assessment can be performed to determine what is necessary to reopen the roadway. Motorists are encouraged to follow the posted detour signage in place.
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News Release for February 28, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation is replacing the Rines Hill Bridge on Water Street over the Maine Central Railroad in Augusta. The current bridge is more than 90 years old and at the end of its useful service life.
Construction efforts will begin in early March, with anticipated traffic impacts beginning on March 13 with periodic, daytime lane reductions expected. A detour will go into effect beginning on March 20. Beginning this date all traffic traveling North will be reduced to a single lane. Southbound traffic will follow a detour utilizing Winthrop and State Street. This new traffic pattern will be maintained until Spring of 2024.
The contractor on this project is New England Infrastructure, Inc. of Hudson, MA. The contract amount is $5,210.787.00
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News Release for February 27, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
SOUTH PORTLAND - The Maine Department of Transportation will be reducing traffic to one lane on I-295 NB beginning 0.12 miles north of the Scarborough town line and extending north for roughly 7.5 miles to the Falmouth town line. Traffic will be reduced to one lane from approximately 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. beginning March 19 and going through the late 2023. These closures are required to accommodate median work and improvements being made to safety and drainage.
The contractor on this project is Pike Industries Inc. of Westbrook. The contract amount is $19,796,315.00.
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News Release for February 27, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
YARMOUTH - The Maine Department of Transportation will be reducing traffic to one lane on I-295 SB 0.5 miles north of Exit 17 from approximately 10 PM to 6 AM beginning March 1. At this time, the passing lane on I-295 SB will be shut down and all I-295 SB traffic will be shifted to one lane. Exit 17 will remain open during these times. Night work is expected to occur until Friday morning, March 3rd. These closures are required to accommodate median work. We appreciate the public's continued patience regarding these interstate closures. The contractor on this project is CPM Constructors of Freeport. The contract amount is $29,273,418.83.
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News Release for February 21, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
JEFFERSON - A large culvert on Route 17 in Jefferson collapsed earlier this evening. The location of the culvert is east of Route 32, near Peaslee's Quick Stop. MaineDOT Crews have set up an 11-mile detour utilizing Route 32, Route 126, and Route 220, until an assessment can be performed to determine what is necessary to reopen the roadway. Motorists are encouraged to follow the posted detour signage in place.
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News Release for February 8, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
PORTLAND - Paint from has peeled and flaked from three I-295 interstate bridges within the City of Portland, necessitating lane closures while the debris is cleaned up and removed. The Maine Department of Transportation, working with guidance from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, will begin the clean-up process on Thursday, February 9th. It is expected to be completed prior to the weekend.
The bridges, over Franklin Street, Congress Street and the Fore River Parkway were last painted in 1973 and 1974. Given the location of the bridges, where the lead-based paint debris is located, and the prompt clean up, there is little risk to public health. Members of the public should not touch or ingest any debris that could be from the bridges.
While cleaning up the debris, MaineDOT will also assess the potential reasons that contributed to the paint failure, which is an uncommon occurrence. The bridge over Franklin Street is scheduled to be repainted this year. The bridges over Congress Street and the Fore River Parkway may also be repainted this year, pending MaineDOT's assessment.
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News Release for January 30, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation has received a final determination from the Federal Highway Administration that allows MaineDOT to replace the Frank J. Wood Bridge between Topsham and Brunswick.
This finding comes after a years-long, exhaustive federal regulatory and legal process. That process has confirmed MaineDOT's original conclusion that the safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of replacing the bridge is the best solution.
MaineDOT will advertise the bridge replacement project for construction bids on Wednesday, February 1st. Bids are expected to be accepted for a period of four weeks. MaineDOT plans to award the construction contract soon thereafter. On-site work is expected to begin in the late spring.
Once complete, the Towns of Brunswick and Topsham will be connected by a reliable new bridge, located on a curved upstream alignment, that will feature enhancements requested by a local design advisory committee. Designed to last for at least 100 years, the new bridge will have sidewalks on both sides (including pedestrian viewing bump-outs), wider shoulders on both sides, parks on both ends, special railings, lighting and other design details, and unobstructed views of the natural and architectural features of the surrounding Pejepscot Falls site.
The current Frank J. Wood Bridge originally constructed in 1931 is now more than 90 years old. MaineDOT began the process to improve this crossing in 2014. The bridge is fracture critical and rated in poor condition. Recent inspections of the bridge have showed severe section loss and aggressive deterioration. In November 2021, MaineDOT had to prohibit all commercial vehicles from using the current bridge. Although no further traffic restrictions are imminent, MaineDOT will continue to closely monitor the bridge and take additional steps, if necessary, to protect public safety. Because of its condition, the bridge is inspected twice a year. Bridges are normally inspected once every two years. The last inspection occurred in October 2022.
In 2017, a preliminary estimated construction cost of a new bridge to replace the Frank J. Wood Bridge was $13 million. Due to the legal and process delays and a concurrent market increase in construction costs, the new bridge is now expected to cost multiple times this preliminary estimate, as would the cost of other alternatives considered including rehabilitation.
"Its been a long process, but we look forward to delivering the new bridge to better connect these two communities and the travelers of Maine," said MaineDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note. "It will be safe, reliable, and serve all users well, including motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists."
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News Release for January 27, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
FALMOUTH - As part of the ongoing work to replace the bridge that carries Bucknam Road over I-295 in Falmouth, the Maine Department of Transportation will be closing I-295 at Exit 10 for short periods of time several on four separate nights next week. Each night's closure will last no longer than 25 minutes and will occur between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. These closures are required to accommodate utility work. Maine State Police will assist MaineDOT. The department will also be using message boards to alert drivers of the closure.
This is part of an ongoing project to replace the bridges that carry Bucknam Road and Johnson Road over I-295 in Falmouth. The work on Bucknam Road began last year and will continue into 2024. On-site work on Johnson Road has not yet begun. The estimated completion date for both bridge replacement projects is December 12th, 2025.
The contractor on this project is Wyman & Simpson, Inc. of Richmond. The contract amount is $19,574,460.
We appreciate the public's continued patience regarding these interstate closures.
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News Release for January 25, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
FALMOUTH - Due to the recent weather events, the I-295 closures that had been planned for the first half of this week will now extend to Thursday and Friday nights. This is part of the project to replace the bridge that carries Bucknam Road over I-295 at Exit 10 in Falmouth. Each night's closure will last no longer than 25 minutes and will occur between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. These closures are required to accommodate utility work. Maine State Police will assist MaineDOT. The department will also be using message boards to alert drivers of the closure.
Two additional closures will happen next week. One will be on the night of Wednesday, February 1st. The second closure has not yet been scheduled. This should complete the utility relocation work.
This is part of an ongoing project replace the bridges that carry Bucknam Road and Johnson Road over I-295 in Falmouth. The work on Bucknam Road began last year and will continue into 2024. On-site work on Johnson Road has not yet begun. The estimated completion date for both bridge replacement projects is December 12th, 2025.
The contractor on this project is Wyman & Simpson, Inc. of Richmond. The contract amount is $19,574,460.
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News Release for January 25, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - Today, the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) released the 2023 Edition of its three-year Work Plan. This Work Plan includes all capital projects and programs, maintenance and operations activities, planning initiatives, and administrative functions for calendar years 2023, 2024, and 2025. This plan contains 2,599 individual work items with a total value of $3.94 billion, consisting primarily of work delivered or coordinated through MaineDOT.
MaineDOT's Work Plan is influenced by significant challenges and opportunities.
One of the biggest challenges is structural: transportation is and always will be a big job in Maine. We have a large, mostly rural state with challenging geology and weather and a small, spread-out, aging population. To meet those needs, Maine has a vast, multimodal transportation system.
Another challenge shared by DOTs across the country is the cost of doing business. Since 2018, MaineDOT has experienced construction cost increases averaging 40 to 50 percent, driven by tight labor and materials markets. Because of this, MaineDOT will continue to embrace a "MacGyver" approach of getting the most customer value from each dollar we are provided. Ingenuity and prudent stewardship of public funds is what Maine travelers and taxpayers rightly expect.
Despite these challenges, there is great opportunity in the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) passed a little more than a year ago. In addition to an increase in reliable formula funding that helps address increased costs, the BIL includes a dramatic increase in the amount of competitive grant funding that allows MaineDOT to make targeted improvements without detracting from our core mission of taking care of the system we have now.
Most federal transportation funding programs generally require state match funding, so state funding is critical to unlocking these federal funds. Governor Mills and the Maine Legislature have provided robust levels of General Fund support for transportation. Ongoing state support will allow MaineDOT to address both the challenge of increasing costs and the opportunities provided in the federal BIL.
"Strong support for infrastructure at both the federal and state levels gives us reasons to be optimistic about the future of transportation in Maine," said Bruce Van Note, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation. "We are continuing our shift from making do to making pragmatic progress. If we set reasonable goals that fit Maine's needs, manage costs with practical ingenuity, and find the funds needed to match available federal funds, all Maine people can realize the enhanced safety, economic opportunity, and quality of life that comes with a better transportation future."
For the reason noted above, many of the major projects included in this Work Plan include some sort of extraordinary funding from the federal government - either from the BIL discretionary grant programs or Congressionally Directed Spending awards. Such funding represents about 11 percent of the total value of Work Plan items.
"The team at MaineDOT is skilled at both responding to challenges and embracing opportunities both of those qualities are evident in this Work Plan," said Maria Fuentes, Executive Director of the Maine Better Transportation Association. "Continued support for infrastructure at both the federal and state levels gives Maine the ability to make new investments in its transportation system. Those investments support thousands of jobs in our state. We share the optimism that a better transportation system is within our reach."
This Work Plan invests in the largest and most heavily used component of Maine's transportation system: its 8,800-mile, state-jurisdiction highway network and 2,800 bridges. This Work Plan includes nearly $2.2 billion for highway and bridge capital projects, including the following:
- 302 bridge projects (estimated cost: $706 million).
- 1,178 miles of preservation paving (estimated cost: $575 million).
- 271 miles of highway construction and rehabilitation (estimated cost: $475 million).
- 264 highway safety and spot improvements (estimated cost: $190 million).
- 2,073 miles of Light Capital Paving (estimated cost: $116 million).
- Replacing approximately 75 miles of rail on CSX's Waterville-Mattawamkeag Line and making other track improvements to allow heavier freight cars and increased speeds ($42.5 million).
- Construction of a new hybrid electric vessel for the Maine State Ferry Service to service Lincolnville and Islesboro ($35 million).
- Pedestrian safety improvements in 12 Heads Up! focus communities that have experienced a disproportionate number of pedestrian crashes in recent years ($11.1 million).
- Rural worker/workforce transportation funding opportunities for projects aimed at connecting workers to employment opportunities, especially in rural areas where transportation options are limited ($5 million).
- Preparing a grant application to facilitate improvements on a 2.7-mile-long segment of the Eastern Trail in North Berwick, Wells, and Kennebunk.
"The Village partnership Initiative has been a catalyst for channeling key elements of the town's Downtown Revitalization Plan into a tangible path forward beginning with the Oquossoc Village Transportation Study that is underway now," said Joe Roach, Rangeley Town Manager. "MaineDOT leadership met with town officials to discuss the program, planning staff helped the town through the application and consultant selection process, and professionals from various disciplines across MaineDOT had a strong presence at the kick-off meeting and are engaged with our project consultants. The Village Partnership Initiative enhances transportation and community development locally while strengthening the state as a whole. The benefits of the partnership go beyond the matching funds."
This Work Plan, like all such plans, is dependent upon funding assumptions involving state Highway Fund revenue, federal funds, and other funding sources. Should funding sources not materialize, the work items within this plan will need to be adjusted to reflect funding changes.
View and search the 2023 Edition of the MaineDOT Work Plan by visiting www.mainedot.gov. This year's Work Plan also features an interactive, media-rich story map.
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News Release for January 19, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
UPDATE: Due to inclement weather forecasted for this evening, the utility work and associated closures on I-295 will be postponed to next week.
Additional closures on I-295 at Bucknam Road are currently scheduled for next Monday through Wednesday, January 23rd through 25th, between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. As always, these short closures will be no longer than 25 minutes.
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE FROM 1/10/23:
FALMOUTH - As part of the ongoing work to replace the bridge that carries Bucknam Road over I-295 in Falmouth, the Maine Department of Transportation will be closing I-295 at Exit 10 for short periods of time several on four separate nights next week. Each night's closure will last no longer than 25 minutes and will occur between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. These closures are required to accommodate utility work. Maine State Police will assist MaineDOT. The department will also be using message boards to alert drivers of the closure.
This is part of an ongoing project replace the bridges that carry Bucknam Road and Johnson Road over I-295 in Falmouth. The work on Bucknam Road began last year and will continue into 2024. On-site work on Johnson Road has not yet begun. The estimated completion date for both bridge replacement projects is December 12th, 2025.
The contractor on this project is Wyman & Simpson, Inc. of Richmond. The contract amount is $19,574,460.
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News Release for January 6, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
EDDINGTON - The Maine Department of Transportation is constructing a new bridge in Eddington as part of the ongoing I-395/Route 9 Connector project. The new bridge will carry Clewleyville Road over the new highway. This is one of five bridges associated with this project.
Beginning on January 9th, Clewleyville Road traffic will be detoured to Levenseller Road and Nolan Road. The contractor has posted signs to alert drivers. This detour is expected to be in place for most of 2023.
Connector construction started in January 2022. Right now, approximately half the road construction is finished (between Wilson Street and Levenseller Road). This new highway will be approximately six miles long and run between Brewer and Eddington. All work is expected to be finished in 2025.
The I-395/Route 9 Connector project will provide the "missing link" between I-395 and Route 9 in southern Penobscot County. Right now, vehicles traveling through the area from I-395 to Route 9 generally proceed from I-395 to Routes 1A, 46, and 9 routes that have abrupt transitions in travel speed, roadway geometry, and capacity. The new connector will provide a regional solution to congestion, connectivity, mobility, and safety problems. The greater Bangor/Brewer area is the economic and employment center for the north central region of the state. It's also a hub for the movement of goods because of its proximity to the interstate highway system and Canadian markets.
The contractor on this project is Sargent Corporation of Sillwater. The contract amount is $84,437,000.
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News Release for January 3, 2023
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
UPDATE ON 1/5/23:
The I-295 closure that was planned for tonight is being pushed to Sunday night because of the weather. Additionally, there will be a similar closure on Monday night. On both nights, there will be a rolling closure of I-295 for no longer than a 25-minute period between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. Similar closures will also happen on future dates, though they have not been scheduled yet.
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE FROM 1/3/23:
FALMOUTH - As part of the ongoing work to replace the bridge that carries Bucknam Road over I-295 in Falmouth, the Maine Department of Transportation will be closing I-295 at Exit 10 for a short period on Thursday night. The closure will last no longer than 25 minutes and will occur between 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 5th and 2:00 a.m. on Friday, January 6th. This closure is required to accommodate the removal and replacement of overhead utility wires. Maine State Police will assist MaineDOT. The department will also be using message boards to alert drivers of the closure.
This is part of an ongoing project replace the bridges that carry Bucknam Road and Johnson Road over I-295 in Falmouth. The work on Bucknam Road began last year and will continue into 2024. On-site work on Johnson Road has not yet begun. The estimated completion date for both bridge replacement projects is December 12th, 2025.
The contractor on this project is Wyman & Simpson, Inc. of Richmond. The contract amount is $19,574,460.
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News Release for December 27, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WATERVILLE - The Maine Department of Transportation is replacing a culvert on the Webb Road in Waterville that washed out in the heavy winds and rain the area received on 12/23/2022. The project area is approximately 1.7 miles south of the Middle Road intersection. The road will be closed until the replacement is complete. There is a detour in place that utilizes the Middle Road, Trafton Road and River Road. This work is being performed by crews from MaineDOT's Bureau of Maintenance & Operations.
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News Release for December 15, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation is enhancing its efforts to hire more snowfighters as the height of the winter season approaches.
The department will be increasing hiring ads on social media in the coming weeks and months in an effort to improve staffing levels. This is in addition to increased pay stipends, competitive benefits, and on-the-job training that the department continues to offer. The enhanced effort comes as MaineDOT, like many other public entities and private businesses, has struggled to fill truck driver vacancies and to retain desired levels of experienced snowfighters.
MaineDOT, however, is prepared to tackle the storm that's expected to hit Maine tomorrow.
"We are working to improve our hiring by offering pay stipends in different parts of the state along with a snowfighting bonus, competitive benefits, and on-the-job training all while extending our recruitment efforts through more social media," said Kyle Hall, Director of MaineDOT's Bureau of Maintenance and Operations. "MaineDOT offers stable and rewarding careers, and we invite Maine people looking for work to join us this winter. Becoming a MaineDOT snowfighter will help ensure that our roads stay in top shape through every storm. Your service will make a difference."
With the winter season upon us, the number of licensed truck drivers trained in snowfighting operations is about 20 percent lower than would be optimal to cover all weather scenarios. This situation is further complicated by ongoing supply chain issues that have led to shortages or delays in equipment and material deliveries. While MaineDOT remains ready to handle most winter weather events this season, these staffing shortages may impact the department's ability to maintain levels of service during long-duration storms this winter. Maine travelers will see the quick and thorough response they are accustomed to seeing for short-duration winter events, but winter road conditions could be worse than normal during long-duration storms that bring heavy, wet snow. This will be especially true for storms that last more than 24 hours.
If the number of snowfighters does not increase, the department hopes to minimize impacts to travelers by sharing plow drivers between crew maintenance facilities and by utilizing other employees that are licensed but do not drive plow trucks as part of their regular jobs such as mechanics and supervisors.
"We say this all the time, but it bears repeating: please avoid driving in bad weather, but if you have to go out, give our plow trucks plenty of time and space to do what they do best in the safest way possible," said Hall. "Our snowfighters take great pride in keeping our roads clear. We appreciate their continued dedication to the people who live, work, and travel in Maine."
MaineDOT provides winter maintenance on 8,225 lane miles of roads that are divided into nearly 350 individual plow routes. More than 500 licensed truck drives from 93 crew camps across the state stand ready to tackle winter weather events. During the average winter, Maine experiences 35 storm events. It is not uncommon for MaineDOT snowflighters to plow more than two million miles of road during the winter that's the equivalent of traveling from the earth to the moon and back again more than four times.
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News Release for December 14, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
OLD TOWN - The Maine Department of Transportation will be closing the Stillwater Avenue (Llewellyn Estes) Bridge in Old Town to all traffic from approximately 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 15th to approximately 4:00 a.m. on Friday, December 16th. This closure is necessary while the Old Town Water District secures a water pipe that is hanging underneath the bridge. There will be a detour in place during this closure. The length of the maximum detour is approximately five miles and involves driving through Orono via Bennoch Road (Route 16), Route 2, and College Avenue. More overnight closures may be required next week for the water district to take further steps to secure the pipe. MaineDOT would like to thank the members of the traveling public in advance for their patience and understanding during this important work.
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News Release for December 14, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
HAMPDEN - Construction on the Maine Department of Transportation's Hampden Bridge Bundle Project is now substantially finished.
This project involved rebuilding eight bridges and rehabilitating a ninth bridge along a four-mile stretch of I-95 in Hampden between Exits 174 and 180. Three of these bridge pairs cross the Souadabscook Stream, and one pair crosses Emerson Mill Road and the Central Maine & Quebec Railway. The one bridge rehabilitation involved with this project occurred at the Exit 180 off-ramp on Cold Brook Road over I-95. The project involved the construction of four temporary bridges to keep interstate traffic moving throughout this project.
The contractor on the Hampden Bridge Bundle Project was Cianbro Corporation of Pittsfield. The contract amount was $44.8 million.
MaineDOT would like to thank everyone involved in making this project a success, especially our customers the people who live, work, and travel in Maine.
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News Release for December 6, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation has released the results of an investigation regarding the former municipal landfill in Machias and its potential impacts on MaineDOT's Machias Dike Bridge project. The capped landfill site is located west of and upstream from the Dike Bridge, which carries Route 1 over the Middle River in Machias.
The current Dike Bridge dates to the Civil War era and is deteriorating. In June, MaineDOT had preliminarily identified a bridge span as the preferred alternative to replace the existing four box culverts. As a bridge span is expected to increase water levels in the Middle River, MaineDOT commissioned the study of the municipal landfill site to learn more about potential environmental impacts should a bridge option be selected.
This new report summarizes the results of the subsurface investigation and laboratory testing programs, groundwater monitoring program, and geotechnical evaluations conducted over the summer and fall at and near the former municipal landfill. Laboratory testing done as part of this investigation suggest the landfill has already caused some impact to existing water quality. The most notable concerns are inorganic compounds (dissolved metals) and polyfluoroalkyl substances PFAS compounds. Levels of barium, cadmium, iron, and manganese were found to exceed Maine Department of Environmental Protection thresholds for drinking water. PFAS compounds also exceeded Maine Interim Drinking Water standards. The analysis suggests that increasing water levels in the Middle River will not worsen these impacts.
"Even though this report suggests that increased water levels associated with a bridge alternative would not worsen the negative environmental impacts at the former municipal landfill site, these findings still raise concerns for us," said MaineDOT Chief Engineer Joyce Taylor. "We are still considering other alternatives and will continue working with our environmental partners at the state and federal levels to find the best path forward for the Machias community."
The consultant report, a summary prepared by MaineDOT, and other information about the Machias Dike Bridge Feasibility Study are available at www.maine.gov/mdot/projects/machiasbridge/.
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News Release for November 29, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
GRAY - The Maine Department of Transportation is doing paving work and making drainage improvements on Depot Road in Gray. The work area begins east of the railroad tracks and continues to Town Farm Road. Work is beginning today and will continue into January before being suspended for the winter. Work will resume in May and is scheduled to be completed in May. Traffic will be reduce to a single lane of alternative traffic during this work. The contractor on this project is A.H. Grover Inc. of North Yarmouth. The contract amount is $557,905.
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News Release for November 29, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
PORTLAND - Construction on the Maine Department of Transportation's Veranda Street Bridge Replacement Project the "Veranda Plan" is now substantially complete. This project involved the rapid replacement of the interstate bridge that carries I-295 over Veranda Street in Portland over the course of a single weekend. The work also involved the reconfiguration of the roadways underneath the bridge to increase safety, provide enhanced bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, and create opportunities for a public green space along the waterfront.
The Veranda Street Bridge carries I-295 over Route 1/Veranda Street (between Exits 9 and 10) in Portland. It is one of the most heavily travelled corridors in the State of Maine. On an average day, 50,000 vehicles use the interstate bridge. The old bridge was 61 years old and structurally deficient. The new bridge is designed to last 100 years.
MaineDOT used an innovative Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) technique designed to reduce long-term traffic disruptions. Conventional bridge construction techniques would have involved the construction of a temporary bridge and would have likely created daily traffic congestion on I-295 for up to four years. This ABC method reduced significant traffic impacts to a period of 60 hours. With the help of Burgess Advertising & Marketing of Falmouth, MaineDOT launched a public awareness campaign, urging people to make their own "Veranda Plan" to avoid the area during the closure weekend. These efforts were critical to minimizing traffic delays while the interstate was closed.
The old roadway geometry underneath the interstate bridge was confusing and contributed to a high incidence of crashes at the intersection of Veranda Street and the I-295 southbound on-ramp. Part of this project involved a reconfiguration of that roadway. Modern signalized intersections at the end of the Exit 9 ramps will improve safety for all users. The reconfigured Veranda Street consists of two 11-foot-wide vehicle travel lanes, two five-foot-wide bicycle lanes, a five-foot-wide sidewalk on the north side of the roadway, and a multi-use path on the south side that extends to the Martin's Point Bridge. Nearly 1.5 acres of what was previously roadway and median can now be used for green space. The City of Portland will be overseeing further work along the waterfront.
Planning for MaineDOT's Veranda Street Bridge Replacement Project began in 2016. Construction began in March 2021. The interstate closure weekend occurred this past April. Final paving began in October and is now finished.
The construction contract for this project was approximately $18.1 million. The total project cost (including engineering and design work) was approximately $20.8 million.
HNTB Corporation of South Portland was the design firm for this project. Cianbro of Pittsfield was the prime contractor. Shaw Brothers Construction of Gorham performed the earthwork and bridge demolition.
MaineDOT is extremely grateful to everyone who helped make this project a success. Department staff and our contracting partners all worked as one team to get this important work done safely and on schedule. The City of Portland, the Town of Falmouth, and the Maine Turnpike Authority also played key roles. Most importantly, MaineDOT would like to thank our customers: the people who live, work, and travel in our state. These customers especially those who live and work near the project site have been extremely patient and understanding throughout the course of this important work. Thank you all.
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News Release for November 28, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
UPDATE: This work is finished, and the weight restriction has been lifted.
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE FROM NOVEMBER 28TH:
PORTLAND/SOUTH PORTLAND - The Maine Department of Transportation will be performing maintenance work on the Casco Bay Bridge next week. This work will require a traffic restriction on the bridge. Vehicles weighing more than 25 tons (50,000 pounds) will not be permitted to cross the bridge during the week of December 5th through December 9th. This restriction will be in place around the clock on these days. MaineDOT will also use message boards to alert drivers of the temporary weight restriction.
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News Release for November 21, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
FALMOUTH - The Maine Department of Transportation is replacing the bridges that carry Bucknam Road and Johnson Road over I-295 in Falmouth. The existing bridges date back to the creation of the interstate. They were built in 1960 and are approaching the end of their useful service lives.
The Bucknam Road Bridge replacement is happening first and will occur in two phases. On-site work began in September.
Drivers should expect nightly lane closures on both the northbound and southbound sides of I-295. These closures will occur on Sunday through Thursday nights between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. the following day. Single lane closures on Friday nights will only be permitted on the southbound side of the interstate between 10:00 p.m. on Friday and 6:00 a.m. on Saturday.
Full closures of I-295 (northbound and/or southbound) will be permitted Monday through Saturday between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Any full interstate closure will not last longer than 25 minutes.
On Bucknam Road, lane closures are permitted on Sunday through Thursday nights between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. the following day.
Starting after November 27th, there will be occasional full closures of Bucknam Road between the I-295 northbound and southbound ramps. These closures will occur on Sunday through Saturday nights between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. the following day.
Clearly marked detours will be in place during all full closures.
Work on Bucknam Road will continue into 2024. On-site work on Johnson Road has not yet begun. The estimated completion date for both bridge replacement projects is December 12th, 2025.
The contractor on this project is Wyman & Simpson, Inc. of Richmond. The contract amount is $19,574,460.
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News Release for November 17, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation will be performing work at the intersection of Western Avenue and Armory Street in Augusta that will impact traffic later this week and all next week.
The work is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, November 9th and end by Friday, November 18th. Much of this work will be daytime work occurring between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Drivers should expect lane closures on the westbound side of Western Avenue (the side closer to the Armory and heading toward I-95).
This work involves paving and curb installation. Crews will be creating a new entrance/exit to the Armory parking lot west of the existing entrance/exit. The existing entrance/exit (across from Armory Street) will be closed, turning the four-way intersection in a three-way intersection.
This work is part of a larger project to upgrade 104 traffic signals and intersections throughout the state. Forty of those intersections are in the City of Augusta. The contractor on this project is Dagle Electrical Construction Corporation of Wilmington, MA. The contract amount is $20,844,813.
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News Release for November 2, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation today announced it has awarded a $387,200 grant from the Workforce Transportation Pilot Program to Sunday River of Newry. The grant program, an initiative of Governor Mills' Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, supports local and regional pilot projects that connect workers to employers through ridesharing, vanpools, and other transit options.
Sunday River's award, the first from the pilot program, will support the purchase of four all-wheel-drive vans to offer free transportation for workers from nearby towns to the ski resort, to support existing employees and to reduce barriers to work for new employees.
Further, in partnership with the Bethel Chamber of Commerce, these vans will also offer transportation to workers at other area businesses in addition to Sunday River. A fifth electric van will help transport Sunday River workers residing in employer-provided housing.
"This funding will provide critical connections for Sunday River - the Bethel area's largest employer and the people who work there," said Bruce Van Note, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation. "We look forward to continuing to work with our partners across the state to identify challenges and develop solutions to other workforce transportation challenges."
"Sunday River is incredibly honored to receive this grant," said Brian Heon, General Manager of Sunday River. "As a business that employs numerous people in a rural area, reliable transportation is crucial to our team members. We care deeply for our community and we're proud to be able to offer free transportation to our valued team members."
The Workforce Transportation Pilot aligns with strategies from Maine Won't Wait, the state's four-year plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in part by promoting public transportation, to combat climate change.
MaineDOT is working with several other applicants on their proposals. There is no application deadline, but applicants are encouraged to submit projects as soon as possible. With this first award, approximately $4.6 million remains to be awarded.
The Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan is the Governor's plan, approved by the Legislature, to invest nearly $1 billion in Federal American Rescue Plan funds to improve the lives of Maine people and families, help businesses, create good-paying jobs, and build an economy poised for future prosperity.
In the last year since the Jobs Plan took effect, the Mills Administration has delivered direct economic relief to nearly 1,000 Maine small businesses, supported more than 100 infrastructure projects around the state to create jobs and revitalize communities, and invested in workforce programs estimated to offer apprenticeship, career and education advancement, and job training opportunities to 22,000 Maine people.
Read a full report of the Jobs Plan's investments in the past year here. For more about Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, visit maine.gov/jobsplan.
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News Release for November 1, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
T3 INDIAN PURCHASE - The Maine Department of Transportation is closing the Detective Campbell Detour Bridge in T3 Indian Purchase to perform maintenance on the structure. The bridge carries Route 11 over the West Branch of the Penobscot River. It is located at Wiley's crossing suspension bridge. This work will require two, separate closures during the day on Thursday, November 3, each lasting approximately 30 minutes in length. The work will be completed and will be reopened to traffic the same day.
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News Release for October 27, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
YARMOUTH - Night construction work will be impacting traffic on Route 1 in Yarmouth during the second week of November as part of the ongoing project to replace the two bridges that carry I-295 over Route 1 near Exit 17. Crews will be placing the steel bridge beams onto the recently constructed substructure west of the existing interstate.
This work is scheduled to occur between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. from Sunday, November 6th through Friday, November 11th. Route 1 traffic will be reduced to a single lane of alternating traffic. Occasional full closures of Route 1 will happen between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Full closures will not last longer than 25 minutes each. I-295 traffic is not expected to be impacted by this night work. Nearby residents should expect loud noise and vibrations. As with all outdoor construction, weather conditions may impact the schedule.
Construction on this project began in December. This is a multi-year project that is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2025. The contractor on this project is CPM Constructors of Freeport. The contract amount is $27,566,210. This project is the recipient of federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Competitive Highway Bridge Program.
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News Release for October 20, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
CLINTON - The Maine Department of Transportation is replacing two culverts on River Road in Clinton. The project area is approximately 0.3 miles north of Tardiff Road. Work started earlier this week and is expected to be finish the end of this week. There is a detour in place. This work is being performed by crews from MaineDOT's Bureau of Maintenance & Operations.
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News Release for October 19, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
DURHAM - Route 9 is expected to be closed between Royalsborough Road (Route 136) and Pinkham Brook Road (Route 125) in Durham for as long as two weeks while the Maine Department of Transportation replaces a culvert that failed at Dyer Brook.
Detoured traffic should use Route 136 and Route 125 in Durham and Freeport. The total detour length for through traffic using state roads is approximately 17 miles, though there are shorter detours that use local roads. MaineDOT has installed message boards to notify drivers of the closure and detour.
The department was notified of the culvert failure at approximately 2:00 p.m. yesterday. MaineDOT crews responded to the scene and ultimately closed the road to all traffic at 7:00 p.m.
Upon closer inspection by MaineDOT engineers, it appears that several factors led to this culvert failure. Recent rainfall elevated the water level of the brook while also softening the sandy embankment near the road. Additionally, it appears there was part of a beaver dam blocking the culvert. When water couldn't adequately pass through the culvert, it began to erode the sandy fill and eventually punctured a seam in the culvert. This caused a segment of the culvert to collapse, further weakening the embankment.
The culvert that failed had a diameter of six feet. We will be replacing it with a culvert that is 15 feet wide and 10 feet tall at its highest point. This replacement culvert will improve the resilience of the infrastructure and be able to accommodate a 100-year storm event. It will also accommodate fish passage underneath Route 9.
We estimate the cost of this culvert replacement to be between $300,000 and $500,000.
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News Release for October 18, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
DURHAM - The Maine Department of Transportation will be implementing an emergency road closure and detour at 7:00 p.m. due to the failure of a culvert on Route 9 in Durham.
The closure area is between Royalsborough Road (Route 136) and Pinkham Brook Road (Route 125), just east of the intersection with Route 136.
Detoured traffic should use Route 136 and Route 125 in Durham and Freeport. The total detour length for through traffic is approximately 17 miles. MaineDOT is installing message boards to notify drivers of the closure and detours.
This is an emergency closure. We expect the road to be closed for two weeks.
The culvert that failed had a diameter of six feet. We will be replacing it with an arch that is 15 feet wide and 10 feet tall at its highest point. This replacement culvert will improve the resilience of the infrastructure and be able to accommodate a 100-year storm event.
MaineDOT Director of Communications Paul Merrill will be on site tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. to accommodate any interview requests.
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE FROM EARLIER TODAY:
DURHAM - A six-foot-wide culvert on Route 9 in Durham failed at approximately 2:30 this afternoon. The location of the incident is approximately a half-mile east of where Route 9 meets Route 136. Crews are currently allowing a single lane of alternating traffic on Route 9, but the Maine Department of Transportation plans to eventually close the road to traffic until we can replace the culvert.
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News Release for October 18, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - In partnership with the other northern New England states, the Maine Department of Transportation launched an updated New England 511 website today. This new site includes improved features to help drivers navigate daily commutes or weekend trips through Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
The New England 511 website provides real-time road and weather conditions, links to live cameras, construction alerts, traffic warnings, and more. Users will now be able to select precise points (such as the beginning and end of a daily commute) and sign up to receive email and/or text alerts when anything impacts travel along that route.
The New England 511 website address (https://newengland511.org) will remain the same, but because of the extensive changes, every current user will have to create a new account to continue to receive notifications by email and/or text message. MyTrips notifications generated by the old website will stop on October 23rd.
Here is what New England 511 users can expect from the new website:
- The updated website is mobile-friendly; it is optimized for cell phone and tablet users.
- The new base map uses Google Maps, which provides users updated maps with much greater detail and information.
- Users can plan precise routes and sign up to receive email and/or text alerts about changes impacting those routes
- An improved layer showing traffic speeds and displays exactly where traffic is delayed.
- Waze users have the option of accessing a map layer that uses Waze data.
The New England 511 website is the result of a partnership involving the Maine Department of Transportation, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, and the Vermont Agency of Transportation. Staff at all three organizations update the New England 511 system with real time travel information 24 hours a day to help keep travelers informed and safe.
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News Release for October 14, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
BRUNSWICK/TOPSHAM - The Maine Department of Transportation will be performing a bridge inspection of the Frank J. Wood Bridge between Tuesday, October 25th and Thursday, October 27th. This bridge carries Route 201 between Brunswick and Topsham. Because of the poor condition of the fracture critical Frank J. Wood Bridge, MaineDOT engineers inspect it every six months instead of the normal every 24 month frequency. The structure is scheduled to be replaced.
This inspection work will impact traffic. Drivers should expect impacts between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on all three days. Southbound traffic moving from Topsham to Brunswick will be able to cross the bridge. Northbound traffic from Brunswick to Topsham will be detoured to the Topsham Bypass and Route 196.
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News Release for October 14, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
PORTLAND - Next week, the Maine Department of Transportation and its contracting partners will be doing paving work on Veranda Street, Wordsworth Street, Olympia Street, and Oregon Street in Portland. This is one of the final phases of MaineDOT's Veranda Plan project. This project involved the rapid replacement of the interstate bridge that carries I-295 over Veranda Street in Portland as well as the reconfiguration of the roadways underneath the bridge.
This upcoming paving work will impact traffic. Crews will be working long days, beginning at 6:30 a.m. Lane closures will be in place between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. with periodic traffic stoppages during paving operations. We do not expect any daytime traffic impacts on I-295. There will be some overnight work on the interstate to complete the last remaining work there.
Construction on the Veranda Street Bridge replacement project began in March 2021 and involved the full closure of I-295 for one weekend in late April 2022 to accommodate the interstate bridge replacement. This project is expected to be finished next month.
The contractor on this project is Cianbro of Pittsfield. The construction contract is approximately $18.1 million.
MaineDOT and its contracting partners would like to thank the people who live, work, and travel in this area for their patience and understanding as we work to complete this important work.
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News Release for October 6, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - GO MAINE, the statewide ride sharing and trip planning program, relaunched its popular Way 2 GO MAINE challenge on Saturday October 1st. The highly successful How Green Can You Go competition gives green commuters and employers a chance to elevate their alternative travel games; build their own company teams; and vie for incentives, prizes, and bragging rights. Prizes include a Maine State Park vehicle pass and $200, $100, and $50 gift cards that can be won by commuters using each week's featured mode or by members who join GO MAINE in the month of October. Way 2 GO MAINE provides GO MAINE members great opportunities to save money and have fun while doing so. GO MAINE staffers will be out across the state during the month of October conducting both on-site and virtual promotional events.
"There's been a lot of excitement surrounding the return of the October Way 2 GO MAINE challenge," said Emily Becker, GO MAINE Program Manager. "We're seeing a lot of organizations using Way 2 GO MAINE as a way to jumpstart their commuter options program and encourage employees to think green."
GO MAINE commuters also qualify for the program's Emergency Ride Home Benefit. In the event of a qualified emergency, GO MAINE covers the cost of a ride home from work, a special plus for businesses with participating employees.
Ray Steen, vice president of human resources at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, said, "BIW has had a strong tradition of ride sharing since World War II. Now, with many new shipbuilders, we are looking for an easy way for new team members to connect with colleagues for ride shares, carpools, and vanpools. GO MAINE offers not only ride matching, but an emergency ride home feature that helps employees with a longer commute feel confident they can get home if something happens."
The GO MAINE statewide ride sharing and trip planning program is administered by the Maine Department of Transportation and the Maine Turnpike Authority. All GO MAINE programs and services are free for individuals and organizations. More information on the GO MAINE program can be found at GoMaine.org. Organizations interested in organizing their own GO MAINE program are welcome to contact Emily Becker, Program Manager, at emily@gomaine.org.
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News Release for October 6, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
Following yesterday's tragic plane crash in Arundel that took the lives of Eldon Morrison and Paul Koziell of CPM Constructors, the Maine Department of Transportation and the Maine Turnpike Authority issued the following statements.
Statement by Bruce Van Note, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation:
"Maine Department of Transportation team members are shocked and saddened today as we mourn the sudden loss of Eldon Morrison and Paul Koziell. These two men were outstanding individuals and true partners in moving Maine forward. The work they did and the company they built will benefit people who live, work, and travel in Maine for decades to come. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and colleagues today. We will all miss them."
CPM Constructors has done dozens of projects for MaineDOT in recent years. Those projects include:
- Replacing two I-295 bridges over Route 1 near Exit 17 in Yarmouth (ongoing)
- Rehabilitating five railroad bridges in the Northern Maine Railway line (ongoing)
- Replacing the Beals Island Bridge in Jonesport
- Replacing the Lambert Road and Lunt Road bridges in Falmouth
- Reconstructing the historic Cribstone Bridge in Harpswell
"Under the leadership of Eldon Morrison and Paul Koziell, CPM Constructors has steadily grown, thrived, and taken on ever more challenging work with an expanding young staff. CPM is just finishing the reconstruction of Exit 45, one of the most diversified and difficult construction projects undertaken in Maine this past year. Last Sunday morning, at Paul's invitation, I walked the Exit 45 site with him. He was visibly proud of the new interchange - as he and the CPM staff had every right to be. It is a handsome memorial to these leaders in heavy construction. We will miss them both and so will their many conscientious employees and staff who have worked so closely with us and with other public agencies on successful projects."
Recent projects by CPM Constructors for the Maine Turnpike Authority include:
- Reconstructing Exit 45 (ongoing)
- Repairing bridges for Ramp J & Wilson Road in Kittery and Littlefield Road in Wells (ongoing)
- Rebuilding, widening, and lengthening the Cummings Road overpass just south of Exit 45
- Accelerated Bridge Construction replacement of Winthrop Street Bridge in Hallowell
- Reconstruction of the interchange at Exit 80 in Lewiston
Both MaineDOT and the Maine Turnpike Authority have been in touch with CPM Constructors today. The company is in mourning but has every intention of continuing operations. It's what Eldon and Paul would have wanted.
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News Release for October 4, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
ELIOT - The Maine Department of Transportation will be replacing a culvert on Beech Road in Eliot. The new culvert will be bigger than the existing one to increase the resiliency of this infrastructure.
This work requires the full closure of part of Beech Road from 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 7th until 5:00 a.m. on Monday, October 10th. The closure area is between Harold L. Dow Highway (Route 236) and State Road, approximately one quarter of a mile west of the intersection with Harold L. Dow Highway.
Detoured traffic should use Dow Highway, Old Post and Dennett Roads in Kittery, and State Road Eliot. MaineDOT has set up message boards to notify drivers of the closure and detours.
The contractor on this project is Pratt & Sons, Inc. of Mechanic Falls. The contract amount is $265,000.
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News Release for September 29, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
FAIRFIELD - The Maine Department of Transportation will be temporarily closing the I-95 northbound Exit 132 on-ramp in Fairfield tomorrow night to accommodate paving operations.
The closure will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 30th and end by 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 1st. This schedule is weather-dependent. Any delay will push work to the following night.
This work is part of a contract awarded to Northeast Paving of Hermon. The total contract amount is $11,819,411.
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News Release for September 26, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
PITTSFIELD - The Maine Department of Transportation is beginning a years-long project to perform work on four bridges that carry I-95 in Pittsfield. All four bridges are between mile markers 149 and 152. The department will be replacing bridge decks on the three southbound bridges that cross Madawaska Ave., the West Branch Sebasticook River, and Hartland Ave. (Route 152). MaineDOT will be replacing the superstructure on one northbound bridge that crosses Madawaska Ave. The department will also be doing roadway reconstruction on Madawaska Ave.
Work began today. Southbound interstate traffic may be restricted to one lane during daytime hours from approximately October 10th until June 23rd, 2023. Drivers on Madawaska Ave. should expect a single-lane, alternating traffic pattern. All work is scheduled to be finished by November 13th, 2026.
The contractor on this project is Eurovia/Northeast Paving of Hampden. The total cost of the construction contracts associated with this work is $11,575,238.
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News Release for September 26, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
UPDATE: Weather conditions are pushing much of this schedule by one day.
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE FROM 9/22/22:
KENNEBEC COUNTY - The Maine Department of Transportation will be temporarily closing several I-95 ramps overnight next week to accommodate paving operations.
All closures will begin at 9:00 p.m. and end by 6:00 a.m. the following the day. Here is the current closure schedule:
- Northbound Exit 127 on-ramp in Waterville on Sunday, September 25th.
- Southbound Exit 127 on- and off-ramps in Waterville and Oakland from Monday, September 26th through Thursday, September 29th.
- Northbound Exit 130 on- and off-ramps and southbound on-ramp in Waterville from Monday, September 26th until Thursday, September 29th.
This work is part of a contract awarded to Northeast Paving of Hermon. The total contract amount is $11,819,411.
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News Release for September 13, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
ALTON - The Maine Department of Transportation is doing paving work on Route 16 in Alton. The project area begins approximately one-third of a mile south of Hatch Road and extends south for nearly two miles. Work began today and is scheduled to be finished by October 15th. Drivers may encounter a single-lane, alternating traffic pattern. The contractor on this work is Northeast Paving. The contract amount is $794,353.
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News Release for September 9, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
FAIRFIELD - The Maine Department of Transportation will be temporarily closing the northbound I-95 on- and off-ramps at Exit 132 and 133 in Fairfield on Wednesday, 9-14-22 through Thursday, 9-15-2022 to do crack-sealing work. These ramps are scheduled to be closed at 9:00 p.m. Wednesday and to be opened at 6:00 a.m. Thursday. This work is weather dependent. This work is part of a contract awarded to Northeast Paving of Hermon. The total contract amount is $11,819,411.
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News Release for September 9, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WATERVILLE - The Maine Department of Transportation will be temporarily closing the southbound I-95 on-ramps at Exit 127 in Waterville on Monday, 9-12-22, and Tuesday, 9-13-22, to do milling work. The on-ramps are scheduled to be closed at 9:00 p.m. Monday, and will be reopened at 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. This work is weather-dependent. It is part of a contract awarded to Northeast Paving of Hermon. The total contract amount is $11,819,411.
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News Release for August 29, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
An earlier version of this press release included the wrong exit number. We will be doing work at Exit 127. We're sorry for the error.
WATERVILLE - The Maine Department of Transportation will be temporarily closing the southbound I-95 on- and off-ramps at Exit 127 in Waterville between 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 1st and 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 2nd. This work is weather-dependent. It is part of a contract awarded to Northeast Paving of Hermon. The total contract amount is $11,819,411.
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News Release for August 29, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
HAMPDEN - As part of the ongoing work on the Hampden Bridge Bundle Project, the Maine Department of Transportation will be doing overnight closures of Emerson Mill Road at I-95 from Tuesday, September 6th until Tuesday, September 20th. These closures will occur between 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. The contractor on this project needs to close the road to remove the temporary bridge structure.
The Hampden Bridge Bundle Project involves rebuilding eight bridges and rehabilitating a ninth bridge along a four-mile stretch of I-95 in Hampden. The eight bridge replacements happened on both the northbound and southbound sides of the interstate at four sites between Exits 174 and 180. Three of these bridge pairs cross the Souadabscook Stream and one pair crosses Emerson Mill Road and the Central Maine & Quebec Railway. The one bridge rehabilitation involved with this project occurred at the Exit 180 off-ramp on Cold Brook Road over I-95.
All eight new bridges are now open and carrying traffic. Northbound bridges were substantially completed last year. Southbound bridges and the rehabilitation of Cold Brook bridge were substantially completed this year.
The contractor on the Hampden Bridge Bundle Project is Cianbro Corporation. The contract amount is $44.8 million. The estimated completion date of the project is November 30th.
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News Release for August 23, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
LISBON - The Maine Department of Transportation will be replacing a culvert on the Frazier Bridge, which carries Route 125 (Main Street) over Dearing Brook in Lisbon. The project is scheduled to begin on August 29th and end by November 30th. A section of Main Street between Gould Road and Summer Street will be closed to traffic for up to 45 days beginning at 6:00 a.m. on August 29th. The section of road is scheduled to reopen on or before October 12th. Signs will direct drivers to the detour route. The contractor on this project is St. Laurent & Son Excavation, Inc. of Sabattus. The contract amount is $713,129.
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News Release for August 23, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
BERWICK - The Maine Department of Transportation is replacing parts of a large culvert on Route 9 in Berwick. The project location is at the intersection of Route 9 and Old Sanford Road. Work began on August 22nd and is scheduled to be finished by October 15th. Drivers should expect an alternating, single-lane traffic pattern. The contractor performing this work is Sargent out of Fremont, New Hampshire. The contract amount is $532,205.
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News Release for August 23, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
FAIRFIELD - The Maine Department of Transportation will be temporarily closing the northbound I-95 on- and off-ramps at Exit 133 in Fairfield tonight and tomorrow night to do paving work. These ramps are scheduled to be closed at 9:00 p.m. and to be opened at 6:00 a.m. the following morning. This work is weather-dependent. It is part of a contract awarded to Northeast Paving of Hermon. The total contract amount is $11,819,411.
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News Release for August 17, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
BELGRADE - The Maine Department of Transportation has closed part of Castle Island Road in Belgrade after part of a bridge structure failed. The affected area is approximately two miles west of Route 27. Signs are posted to direct drivers to a 14-mile-long detour that uses Watson Pond Road a town road. The bridge is scheduled to be replaced in 2024. Maintenance crews and department management are working on a short-term fix to be able to reopen the road.
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News Release for August 17, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - Today, the Maine Department of Transportation announced the beginning of work to install solar arrays on three state-owned properties in Augusta.
The three projects are located at the Augusta Airport and inside the I-95 interchanges at Exits 109 and 112. Once completed, the arrays will provide low-cost renewable energy to power both the Capital complex and East Campus.
The solar projects will be owned and operated by Cenergy Power, which was selected for the project through a competitive bidding process. Once online, the arrays will generate approximately 8.5 MW of solar energy - enough to power about 1,000 homes - and are estimated to reduce state carbon emissions by up to 2,000 metric tons annually and reduce state electricity costs by at least $7.2 million over the next 20 years.
"This is a win-win for the people of Maine," said MaineDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note. "The solar arrays constructed on three parcels of state-owned land in Augusta will save the state and state taxpayers money while also reducing the impact our energy use has on our climate."
"These solar projects will benefit nearly 1.7 million square feet of public buildings across our two campuses," said Department of Administrative and Financial Services Commissioner Kirsten Figueroa. "Once online, these arrays will help reduce costs for taxpayers and reduce emissions from state power consumption, in support of Governor Mills' direction for state government to lead by example in renewable energy and sustainability."
"Cenergy is excited to work with MaineDOT to develop and build these three solar projects on state-owned land," said Cenergy's VP of Development Chad Chahbazi. "We are especially grateful for the good will and collaboration shared by the MaineDOT team to get the projects past their development phase and into their construction phase."
Each solar array site will include pollinator-friendly vegetation management practices. Cenergy is beginning work at Exit 109 this week, with further work at the other sites expected to commence later this month.
The solar arrays by MaineDOT support Governor Janet Mills' "Lead by Example" plan for state government, which encourages energy efficiency and sustainability measures in state government to reduce long-term operating costs and advance state climate goals.
The plan, released in 2021, calls for state electricity use to be from 100 percent renewable sources by 2024, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from state operations by 45 percent by 2030.
These targets align with Maine's overall climate action plan, Maine Wont Wait, and the state's statutory goals to and achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, reduce emissions by 45 percent by 2030 and at least 80 percent by 2050, and transition to 80 percent renewable energy by 2030 and a goal of 100 percent by 2050.
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News Release for August 15, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
STOCKTON SPRINGS - The Maine Department of Transportation has begun work to replace a large box culvert on Route 1 in Stockton Springs. The project area is just north of the Searsport/Stockton Springs town line. Work began today and is scheduled to finish on November 23rd. Drivers should expect to encounter narrow lanes, traffic signals, and single-lane traffic patterns. The contractor on this project is Gordon Contracting, Inc. out of Sangerville. The contract amount is $1,479,479.
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News Release for August 14, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
FAIRFIELD - The Maine Department of Transportation will be temporarily closing the northbound I-95 on- and off-ramps at Exit 133 in Fairfield tonight to do crack-sealing work. These ramps are scheduled to be closed at 9:00 p.m. tonight and to be opened at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow. In the event of inclement weather, this schedule will be pushed forward by one day. This work is part of a contract awarded to Northeast Paving of Hermon. The total contract amount is $11,819,411.
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News Release for August 10, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
FARMINGDALE - The Maine Department of Transportation will be replacing a failing culvert on Maple Street in Farmingdale next week. Work will begin on Tuesday, August 16th and be finished on Wednesday, August 17th. The culvert is located approximately 200 feet north of the Maine Turnpike overpass. Crews will have to close the road to accommodate this work. Traffic will be detoured to Granite Hill Road and Hallowell Litchfield Road. The detour length is approximately four miles. This work will be done by crews from MaineDOT's Bureau of Maintenance & Operations.
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News Release for August 9, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
HAMPDEN - As part of the ongoing work on the Hampden Bridge Bundle Project, the Maine Department of Transportation will be shifting southbound interstate traffic back to the existing I-95 highway at the Emerson Mill Road Bridge in Hampden on the night of Wednesday, August 17th. Inclement weather may push this traffic shift to the night of Thursday, August 18th. This is the final traffic shift of the Hampden Bridge Bundle project.
The Hampden Bridge Bundle Project involves rebuilding eight bridges and rehabilitating a ninth bridge along a four-mile stretch of I-95 in Hampden. The eight bridge replacements happened on both the northbound and southbound sides of the interstate at four sites between Exits 174 and 180. Three of these bridge pairs cross the Souadabscook Stream and one pair crosses Emerson Mill Road and the Central Maine & Quebec Railway. The one bridge rehabilitation involved with this project occurred at the Exit 180 off-ramp on Cold Brook Road over I-95.
The four bridge replacements on the northbound side I-95 were substantially completed last year, and northbound traffic has been using the four new interstate bridges since then. With this latest traffic shift, all four southbound bridges will be open.
The contractor on the Hampden Bridge Bundle Project is Cianbro Corporation. The contract amount is $44.8 million. The estimated completion date of the project is November 30th.
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News Release for August 3, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
NEW GLOUCESTER / AUBURN - The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work on part of Route 202. The project area begins 0.20 miles south of the New Gloucester/Auburn town line and extends north 3.78 miles. Work is scheduled to begin on August 8th and end by November 24th. Drivers may encounter a single-lane, alternating traffic pattern. The contractor on this project is Northeast Paving of Bangor. The contract amount is $1,675,326.00.
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News Release for August 2, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WESTBROOK - The scheduled activation of the signals in the Cumberland Mills Rotary in Westbrook will be postponed while crews work to finish up the striping of lines. It is anticipated that the signals will be activated on Thursday, August 4th.
Original Press Release: WESTBROOK - The Maine Department of Transportation will be working on the traffic signals in the Cumberland Mills Rotary in Westbrook. This project will increase safety and increase capacity in the area where Cumberland Street, Main Street, Harnois Avenue, Warren Avenue, and Forest Street all intersect. Testing the new signals will require them to begin flashing on Thursday, July 28th. They are scheduled to be activated on Tuesday, August 2nd. We expect traffic congestion in this area for several days while drivers acclimate themselves to the new signalized traffic pattern and pedestrian crossing accommodations. This is part of a project that started in May 2021 but had to be put on hold while paving and sewer work was completed. The anticipated project completion date is August 30th. The contractor on this project is Dagle Electric Construction Corporation of Wilmington, Massachusetts. The contract amount is $2,174,747.
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News Release for August 2, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
BREWER - The Maine Department of Transportation will begin work on the next phase of construction for the Brewer Riverwalk on Monday, August 8th. Work will begin at Hardy Street and continue for 900' south along the Penobscot River. Work includes paving a new, ten-foot-wide multiuse path, lighting, WiFi, benches, and trash receptacles. During construction, the shoulder of Route15/South Main Street will be closed. This work will provide enhancements to the existing Riverwalk. Work is anticipated to be completed on 9-20-22. The contractor in Maine Earth out of Hampden. The contract amount is $578,547,00.
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News Release for August 2, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WATERVILLE - The Maine Department of Transportation will be temporarily closing the northbound I-95 on-ramp at Exit 130 in Waterville, to replace a high mast light tower. The ramp is scheduled to be closed from 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 18th and reopen as soon as work is completed on Friday, August 19th. The contractor for this job is Cote Crane.
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News Release for July 29, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
HAMPDEN - As part of the ongoing work on the Hampden Bridge Bundle Project, the Maine Department of Transportation will be closing the Emerson Mill Road at I-95 during some overnight hours next week. Road closures will occur, as needed between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. between the night of Sunday, July 31st and the morning of Saturday, August 6th.
The Hampden Bridge Bundle Project involves rebuilding eight bridges and rehabilitating a ninth bridge along a four-mile stretch of I-95 in Hampden. The eight bridge replacements are happening on both the northbound and southbound sides of the interstate at four sites between Exits 174 and 180. Three of these bridge pairs cross the Souadabscook Stream and one pair crosses Emerson Mill Road and the Central Maine & Quebec Railway. The one bridge rehabilitation involved with this project is happening at the Exit 180 off-ramp on Cold Brook Road over I-95.
The four bridge replacements on the northbound side I-95 were substantially completed last year. Northbound traffic has been using the four new interstate bridges since then. Three new southbound bridges are already open. The fourth new southbound bridge, the Emerson Mill Road bridge, is scheduled to be opened in early September. Rehabilitation of the Cold Brook Bridge was substantially completed last week.
The contractor on the Hampden Bridge Bundle Project is Cianbro Corporation. The contract amount is $44.8 million. The estimated completion date of the project is November 30th.
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News Release for July 29, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
BIDDEFORD - The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing bridge work on the South Street Crossing West Bridge in Biddeford. Work is scheduled to begin on August 8th and be finished on September 2nd. Daily work will occur between 6:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Traffic will be controlled with lights. Crews of MaineDOT's Bureau of Maintenance & Operations will be performing this work.
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News Release for July 29, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
PERU - The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work on part of Route 108 in Peru. The project area begins at River Road and extends northwest for 5.5 miles. Work is scheduled to begin on August 8th and end by November 9th. Drivers may encounter a single-lane, alternating traffic pattern. The contractor on this project is Pike Industries of Westbrook. This work is bundled with other highway work in Oxford County into a single contract in the amount of $10,492,099.
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News Release for July 28, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WATERVILLE - The Maine Department of Transportation will be temporarily closing a highway ramp on the southbound side of I-95 in Waterville tonight.
The southbound I-95 Exit 130 on-ramp in Waterville will be closed between 9:00 p.m. tonight and 6:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.
This work is part of a contract awarded to Northeast Paving of Hermon. The total contract amount is $11,819,411.
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News Release for July 27, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WESTBROOK - The Maine Department of Transportation will be working on the traffic signals in the Cumberland Mills Rotary in Westbrook. This project will increase safety and increase capacity in the area where Cumberland Street, Main Street, Harnois Avenue, Warren Avenue, and Forest Street all intersect.
Testing the new signals will require them to begin flashing on Thursday, July 28th. They are scheduled to be activated on Tuesday, August 2nd. We expect traffic congestion in this area for several days while drivers acclimate themselves to the new signalized traffic pattern and pedestrian crossing accommodations.
This is part of a project that started in May 2021 but had to be put on hold while paving and sewer work was completed. The anticipated project completion date is August 30th.
The contractor on this project is Dagle Electric Construction Corporation of Wilmington, Massachusetts. The contract amount is $2,174,747.
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News Release for July 26, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - A new Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) draft finding confirms again that the cost of rehabilitating the Frank J. Wood Bridge is much greater than the cost of replacing it. This draft finding is a response to a federal court's March 2nd instructions for additional explanation of cost analysis.
The Maine Department of Transportation will post this finding on its website tomorrow afternoon at www.maine.gov/mdot/env/frankjwood/. In accordance with federal process instructions, comments on the finding will be accepted for 30 days until August 26th. Comments can be made online at this website. FHWA will then review all substantive comments thereafter. Unless unanticipated new issues arise, MaineDOT plans to advertise for construction bids for the replacement project this summer or early fall, and construction of the new bridge would begin later this year.
As planned, the Towns of Brunswick and Topsham will be connected by a reliable new bridge with enhancements that will better serve all users, including pedestrians and bicyclists. The new bridge is designed to last for at least 100 years. It will be built on a curved upstream alignment and will feature sidewalks on both sides including pedestrian viewing bump-outs, wider shoulders on both sides, parks on both ends, other special bridge details requested by the communities, and unobstructed views of the natural and architectural features of the surrounding Pejepscot Falls site.
"For MaineDOT, this project has always been about ensuring a safe and reliable connection between these two communities," said MaineDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note. "The Federal Highway Administration has again confirmed what we have long known to be true: that the safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of our new bridge plan is the best solution. State and federal agencies with the responsibility for this bridge crossing, as well as local officials, have determined that our new bridge plan is solid. Now is the time to move forward and serve the broader public interest to better connect these two villages."
The current Frank J. Wood Bridge was originally constructed in 1931. MaineDOT began the process to improve this crossing in 2014. The bridge is fracture critical and rated in poor condition. Recent inspections of the bridge have showed severe section loss and aggressive deterioration. In November 2021, MaineDOT had to prohibit all commercial vehicles from using the current bridge.
"Deterioration of a steel truss bridge like this one does not always happen in a linear, predictable fashion," said MaineDOT Chief Engineer Joyce Taylor. "We are inspecting this bridge every six months. As its condition worsens, we will continue to take steps to make sure it remains safe to cross. We understand the negative impacts that postings have on the nearby communities. Unfortunately, we cannot rule out that additional use restrictions may be necessary between now and when the new bridge is opened to traffic."
The next inspection of the existing bridge is scheduled for late September.
In 2017, the estimated construction cost to replace the Frank J. Wood Bridge was $13 million. Due to the unprecedented and unexpected delay in delivering the project and the dramatic increase in construction costs since then, the 2022 edition of MaineDOT's three-year Work Plan lists the total cost (including construction and engineering) at $33.5 million. In simple terms, the years of delay have at least doubled the cost of the project reducing bridge improvements that could be made across the state.
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News Release for July 21, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WOODSTOCK - The Maine Department of Transportation is doing paving work and making drainage improvements on Route 26 in Woodstock. The project area begins at the West Paris town line and extends northwest for approximately 4.5 miles. Work is scheduled to begin on July 25th and end by October 21st. Drivers may encounter a single-lane, alternating traffic pattern. The contractor on this project is Pike Industries of Westbrook. This work is bundled with other highway work in Oxford County into a single contract in the amount of $10,492,099.
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News Release for July 19, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
OLD TOWN - The Maine Department of Transportation is posting new weight limits for the Stillwater Avenue Bridge #2 in Old Town. This bridge is the northerly span of the two bridges, named the Llewellyn Estes Bridge, that carry Stillwater Avenue over the Stillwater River. Beginning on July 25th, vehicles that weight 30 tons or more will be prohibited from using this bridge. The length of the bypass detour is two miles. The length of the abutment-to-abutment detour is approximately eight miles. This posting does not affect a wide range of larger vehicles like fire engines, school buses, oil delivery trucks, and most local delivery vehicles. It does affect loaded logging trucks, concrete trucks, and other vehicles exceeding 60,000 pounds. MaineDOT is communicating with affected trucking interests to minimize impacts.
The Stillwater Avenue Bridge #2 was originally constructed in 1952. A May 17th inspection found water leaking through the bridge deck and widespread concrete section loss. The bridge deck rating has dropped from poor to serious condition. The bridge superstructure and substructure are also in fair condition.
MaineDOT is revising its approach to replace the Stillwater Avenue Bridges and make nearby roadway and intersection improvements. Earlier this year, the department put the project out to bid. The bridge work was bundled with plans to improve the Bennoch Road and College Avenue intersections. The low bid on this project was nearly double what the department had budgeted. Given the design and contract requirements, the bid results were certainly influenced by significant construction cost inflation and risks associated with supply chain issues and a difficult labor market.
"During the planning phase of this project, we could not have predicted many of the current cost drivers, such as the high cost of steel components as well as material and labor availability risks over a more-than-four-year-long construction period," said MaineDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note. "As such, we decided to reject all bids on the project. We don't like to do this, but proceeding with the original plan no longer represented the best value for the people of Maine."
For this reason, MaineDOT is pursuing separate contracts for the nearby intersection and highway work and the bridge replacements. MaineDOT intends to advertise for construction bids, consistent with the original design, for the Bennoch Road and College Avenue intersections and nearby highway work this September.
Regarding the bridge work, MaineDOT is reexamining the bridge design, construction assumptions, and potential special funding sources. Although the cost of bridges presents a formidable challenge, it also presents an opportunity to showcase the innovation and advances being made in composite bridge construction, especially those being led by the University of Maine. To explore this opportunity, MaineDOT intends to utilize an innovative project delivery method, namely a Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) process.
CM/GC involves a contractor during the design phase to provide constructability input, scheduling, and estimating services. The goals of this partnership between owner, design engineer, and contractor are to innovate, minimize risk, and control costs. This process could also lead to construction activities beginning sooner than traditional contracting methods.
Setting up the bridge CM/GC process will proceed immediately and is anticipated to move to a construction phase in 2024. MaineDOT bridge engineers will continue to monitor the condition of the existing structure. The department will continue to communicate project updates and traffic impacts to nearby residents and businesses.
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News Release for July 15, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
ORONO - The Maine Department of Transportation is replacing a failing box culvert on Route 2 in Orono. The project area is approximately one mile south of the intersection of Route 2 and Kelley Road. This work requires a 28-day-long road closure, which is scheduled to begin on August 1st. During the periods when the road remains open, drivers should expect a single-lane, alternating traffic pattern. Work on this project began on June 27th and is scheduled to be finished by September 3rd. The contractor is Sargent Corporation of Stillwater. The contract amount is $989,554.
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News Release for July 15, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
WATERVILLE AND FAIRFIELD - Early next week, the Maine Department of Transportation will be temporarily closing some highway ramps on the northbound side of I-95 in Waterville and Fairfield.
The northbound I-95 Exit 130 on-ramp in Waterville will be closed between 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 17th and 6:00 a.m. on Monday, July 18th. The northbound I-95 Exit 132 off-ramp in Fairfield will be closed from 9:00 p.m. on Monday, July 18th until 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 19th. Both these closures are being done to accommodate culvert work.
This work is part of a contract awarded to Northeast Paving of Hermon. The total contract amount is $11,819,411.
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News Release for July 8, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
BRUNSWICK - The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work on Route 24 in Brunswick. Work is scheduled to begin on July 13th and be finished by September 9th. The project area begins south of Mountain road in Harpswell and extends north for almost eight miles, ending near Forrestal Drive in Brunswick. Drivers may encounter lane closures and alternating, single-lane traffic patterns. The contractor on this project is Crooker Construction of Topsham. The contract amount is $1,494,324.
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News Release for July 8, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
TOPSHAM - The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work on Route 201 in Topsham. Work is scheduled to begin on July 13th and be finished by September 9th. The project area begins north of Old Augusta Road and extends north for nearly four miles, ending at the Bowdoin town line. Drivers may encounter lane closures and alternating, single-lane traffic patterns. The contractor on this project is Crooker Construction of Topsham. The contract amount is $705,532.
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News Release for July 8, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
BREMEN - The Maine Department of Transportation will be replacing a pipe on Turner Road in Bremen on Monday, July 11th. The pipe is located where Pemaquid Pond and McCurdy Pond come together. The pipe is showing signs of failing. The work is expected to take one day. Vehicles on Turner Road will be detoured. The length of the detour is approximately three miles. This work is being done by crews from MaineDOT's Bureau of Maintenance and Operations.
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News Release for July 6, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
FREEPORT - The Maine Department of Transportation is replacing the bridges that cross I-295 at Exits 20 and 22 in Freeport. The bridge at Exit 20 carries Desert Road over the interstate; the bridge at Exit 22 carries Mallett Drive (Routes 125 and 136) over the interstate. These bridges were originally constructed in 1957 when I-295 was first built.
Each new bridge will feature a 12-foot-wide multiuse path that will tie into paths the town is planning to construct in the future. Traffic signals will be installed at the ends of the northbound and southbound interstate exit ramps.
This project will impact traffic. The department is allowing full closures of I-295 between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. for no more than 25 minutes at a time. Single lane closures on the interstate are permitted at night. Exit ramp closures are allowed between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Desert Road and Mallett Drive will have two lanes of traffic most of the time, but drivers may occasionally encounter alternating single-lane traffic patterns.
The work at these two interstate exits is bundled together in a single contract. That contract amount is $25,720,500. This project is the recipient of discretionary federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Competitive Highway Bridge Program. The contractor on this project is McNamee Construction Corporation of Lincolndale, New York.
Work on these projects started earlier this year and is expected to be finished by the end of 2025.
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News Release for July 1, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
CYR PLANTATION - The Maine Department of Transportation has completed preliminary work on Route 1 in Cyr Plantation that was washed out in late May. The road will reopen to traffic the evening of July 1, 2022. Work will remain ongoing to complete shoulders and paving, during which time traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel. Detours will no longer have to be used once the road is open, though the traveling public should expect some minor delays while construction is completed, and should travel with caution through the construction area. Our current estimate is that work will be completed as of July 11, 2022.
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE FROM 6/3/22: CYR PLANTATION - The Maine Department of Transportation opened bids today, June 3, 2022, to replace the culvert and repair the section of Route 1 in Cyr Plantation that was washed out due to the heavy rains received in the area last Saturday. The washout - located between Abel Cyr Road and Vaillancourt Hill Rd - has resulted in a road closure and a detour. For traffic heading north from Caribou to Madawaska, the travelling public will take a detour utilizing route 161 and 162. For traffic heading to the Van Buren area, take Route 89 and then 1A. Because of the extent of the damage incurred to the existing pipe, our contractor will be installing a new concrete box, back filling with gravel and placing a new asphalt wearing surface. It is expected that the contractor will begin repairs immediately and that traffic will be able to resume use of the roadway during the week of June 20, 2022. MaineDOT understands the importance of Route 1 to the region and is working diligently to ensure that the road is closed for the least possible amount of time. We apologize for the disruption this is causing our customers. The project has been awarded to Soderberg Company from Caribou.
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News Release for July 1, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
ISLESBORO & VINALHAVEN | The Maine State Ferry Service (MSFS) will continue its regular service schedule on Tuesday, 7-5-2022 and Wednesday, 7-6-2022. This service had previously been reduced to a hybrid schedule.
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News Release for July 1, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
PRESQUE ISLE - The Maine Department of Transportation will be installing vehicle count sensors on Route 1, just south of Extreme Granite in Presque Isle. Work is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, July 12th. The northbound lane will be closed to traffic at 8:00 a.m. and remain closed until work is completed, which will be roughly 8 hours. On July 13th the process will be repeated on the southbound lane. In the event of rain, we will push the schedule to Thursday, July 14th. These sensors allow MaineDOT to accurately classify and count the number of vehicles using this road throughout the year.
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News Release for June 30, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
Islesboro & Vinalhaven Service Tuesday and Wednesday 07/05 & 7/06
Due to crew shortages, the M/V Capt. E. Frank Thompson will be operating a Hybrid schedule on Vinalhaven on 07/05 and 07/06 to provide service to Islesboro. The Thompson will depart Vinalhaven at 7 a.m. to Rockland, and load at Rockland at 8:45 a.m. for Islesboro. (Islesboro traffic will need to purchase tickets on Islesboro or Lincolnville Beach. Rockland will not be selling tickets for Islesboro). This schedule change does not affect the Philbrook out of Rockland to Vinalhaven; they will be running a full schedule.
The Thompson's hybrid schedule for Vinalhaven/Islesboro on 7/05 and 7/06: Depart Vinalhaven at 7:00 a.m. Depart Rockland at 8:45 a.m. to Islesboro. (We will carry passengers and vehicles that choose to load in Rockland for the first trip to Islesboro) Depart Islesboro at 10:30 a.m. Depart Lincolnville 11:00 a.m. Depart Islesboro 11:30 a.m. Depart Lincolnville 12:00 p.m. (Lunch 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.) Depart Islesboro 1:30 p.m. Depart Lincolnville 2:00 p.m. Depart Islesboro at 2:30 p.m. (to Rockland) will carry passengers and vehicles, and theyll disembark in Rockland instead of Lincolnville. Depart 4:30 p.m. Rockland to Vinalhaven
No commercial traffic will be allowed to transit on these two days in Islesboro. Commercial traffic will resume on Weds 07/06 at 5:00 p.m. from Lincolnville, 5:30 pm from Islesboro, and 6:00 p.m. from Lincolnville, when the Islesboro ferry can operate and is crewed per the USCG Certificate of Inspection. (Exceptions to commercial traffic will be given for the food markets and the US Postal Service/Penobscot Island Air)
There MSFS will not be available to provide emergency service trips on the nights of 7/4 and 7/5.
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News Release for June 28, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
Islesboro | The M/V Captain Richard G. Spear will be replacing the M/V Margaret Chase Smith on Islesboro this Wednesday at 1120 am. Captain Richard G. Spear will serve Islesboro until the Smith completes its United States Coast Guard (USCG) hull inspection and shipyard period. The Spear is a 23-vehicle ferry and will not have the same capacity as the Margaret Chase Smith at 30 vehicles. This change of service is expected through the first three weeks of July.
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News Release for June 24, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
YORK COUNTY - The Maine Department of Transportation is doing paving work and making drainage and safety improvements along Routes 4 and 236 in Kittery, Eliot, North Berwick, South Berwick, and Sanford. The project area begins at Beech Road in Eliot and ends at Route 109 in Sanford. Work started on June 13th and is scheduled to be finished by September 23rd. Drivers may encounter lane shifts and narrower lanes during construction. The contractor on this project is All states Construction of Richmond. The contract amount is $6,384,354.
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News Release for June 23, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
FAIRFIELD - The Maine Department of Transportation will be temporarily closing the northbound I-95 on- and off-ramps at Exit 133 in Fairfield to accommodate overnight earthwork. The ramps are scheduled to be closed from 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 26th and reopen by 6:00 a.m. on Monday, June 27th.
This work is part of a contract awarded to Northeast Paving of Hermon. The total contract amount is $11,819,411.
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News Release for June 23, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
ROCKLAND - The Maine Department of Transportation is announcing today that Maine State Ferry Service customers are now able to buy ferry tickets online. This new online ticketing system went live earlier this week and can be accessed by visiting maine.gov/ferrytix. Customers who choose to purchase ferry tickets online can either print their tickets to present in person or display their tickets on their devices during the boarding process. Customers will still have the option to buy tickets at ferry terminals. Ticket prices are not changing.
"We are pleased that the successful launch of this new ticketing system will help improve travel for Maine State Ferry Service customers," said Bruce Van Note, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation. "Thousands of Mainers rely on the vital connections provided by the Maine State Ferry Service. Many more people from both within and beyond our state's borders use this service to enjoy Maine's beautiful island communities. This modernization will improve transportation for our residents and visitors."
A part of the Maine Department of Transportation, the Maine State Ferry Service operates six ferries that provide passenger and vehicle ferry service to the islands of Vinalhaven, North Haven, Matinicus, Swans Island, Frenchboro, and Islesboro. In 2021, the Maine State Ferry Service served 447,237 passengers. Ferry ridership has recovered well in the past several years: today's ridership is approximately the same as it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
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News Release for June 21, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
HAMPDEN - As part of the ongoing work on the Hampden Bridge Bundle Project, the Maine Department of Transportation will be opening the new West Souadabscook Stream Bridge to traffic on the southbound side of I-95 on the night of Sunday, June 26th. There will be lane closures on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights.
Interstate speed limits will be reduced to 55 MPH through the work zone. Drivers should drive carefully, observe signage, and obey speed limits. The safety of work crews is MaineDOT's top priority.
This is the third of four new southbound bridges on I-95 in Hampden that will be opened this year. The East and Center Souadabscook Stream Bridges opened earlier this year. The last of the four new southbound bridges, the Emerson Mill Road bridge, is scheduled to be opened in early September.
The Hampden Bridge Bundle Project involves rebuilding eight bridges and rehabilitating a ninth bridge along a four-mile stretch of I-95 in Hampden. The eight bridge replacements are happening on both the northbound and southbound sides of the interstate at four sites between Exits 174 and 180. Three of these bridge pairs cross the Souadabscook Stream and one pair crosses Emerson Mill Road and the Central Maine & Quebec Railway. The one bridge rehabilitation involved with this project is happening at the Exit 180 off-ramp on Cold Brook Road over I-95.
The four bridge replacements on the northbound side I-95 were substantially completed last year. Northbound traffic has been using the four new interstate bridges since then.
The contractor on the Hampden Bridge Bundle Project is Cianbro Corporation. The contract amount is $44.8 million. The estimated completion date of the project is November 30th.
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News Release for June 21, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
PORTLAND - Next week, the Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work on the new Veranda Street Bridge, which carries I-295 over Route 1 (Veranda Street) in Portland.
The traffic impacts of this work will be limited to overnight hours. A short segment of the southbound side of the interstate will be closed from 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 26th until 8:30 a.m. on Monday, June 27th. Night closures will continue all week until Friday morning: those closures will occur between 9:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. Southbound traffic will use the Exit 8 ramps to detour around the work area. There will also be overnight lane closures on both sides of the interstate to accommodate shoulder paving.
Construction on the Veranda Street Bridge replacement project began in March 2021 and involved the full closure of I-295 for one weekend in late April to accommodate the rapid replacement of the interstate bridge. This project also involves a reconfiguration of the roadways underneath the bridge. Work will continue until November 2022.
The contractor on this project is Cianbro of Pittsfield. The construction contract is approximately $18.1 million.
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News Release for June 17, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
CYR PLANTATION - The Maine Department of Transportation is continuing to work with its contracting partners to repair and reopen the part of Route 1 in Cyr Plantation that washed out late last month. The new box culvert is in the ground, but weather conditions are slowing our progress. Frequent rainfall and wet conditions create challenges for the earthwork. We are working hard to try to reopen this road to traffic by Friday, July 1st - ahead of the Independence Day weekend. We want to thank the members of the traveling public for their continued patience and understanding.
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE FROM 6/3/22:
CYR PLANTATION - The Maine Department of Transportation opened bids today, June 3, 2022, to replace the culvert and repair the section of Route 1 in Cyr Plantation that was washed out due to the heavy rains received in the area last Saturday. The washout - located between Abel Cyr Road and Vaillancourt Hill Rd - has resulted in a road closure and a detour. For traffic heading north from Caribou to Madawaska, the travelling public will take a detour utilizing route 161 and 162. For traffic heading to the Van Buren area, take Route 89 and then 1A.
Because of the extent of the damage incurred to the existing pipe, our contractor will be installing a new concrete box, back filling with gravel and placing a new asphalt wearing surface. It is expected that the contractor will begin repairs immediately and that traffic will be able to resume use of the roadway during the week of June 20, 2022.
MaineDOT understands the importance of Route 1 to the region and is working diligently to ensure that the road is closed for the least possible amount of time. We apologize for the disruption this is causing our customers.
The project has been awarded to Soderberg Company from Caribou.
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News Release for June 16, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
KNOX COUNTY - The Maine Department of Transportation is beginning two projects to make improvements in Camden next week. One project will involve drainage, sidewalk, and signal work on the part of Route 1 (Elm Street) that runs between Quarry Hill Road in Camden and Commercial Street in Rockport. The other project will involve drainage and sidewalk work on the part of Route 105 (Washington Street) that runs between Matthew John Avenue and Shirttail Point Road in Camden.
Work is scheduled to begin on Monday, June 20th and be finished by November 11th. Crews will maintain two-way traffic during daytime hours. Drivers may have to stop briefly during night work.
The contractor on this project is Nitram Excavation & General Contractor, Inc. of Benton. The contract amount for both projects is $1,695,070.
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News Release for June 15, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
BRUNSWICK - The Maine Department of Transportation will be replacing a culvert on Route 1 (Old Portland Road) in Brunswick next week. The new culvert will be bigger than the existing one to increase the resiliency of this infrastructure.
This work requires the full closure of part Route 1 from 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 21st until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 22nd. The closure area is approximately three miles north of where Route 1 meets I-295 at Exit 24 in Freeport and just south of the junction of Route 1 and Highland Road.
Northbound traffic should use I-295 between Exit 24 in Freeport and Exit 28 in Brunswick. Southbound traffic will use I-295 between Exit 28 in Brunswick and Exit 22 in Freeport. MaineDOT is setting up message boards to notify drivers of the closure and detours.
The contractor on this project is Gordon Contracting of Sangerville. The contract amount is 300,000.
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News Release for June 10, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
FAIRFIELD - The Maine Department of Transportation is temporarily closing two I-95 northbound on-ramps in Fairfield in the coming days to accommodate overnight maintenance work.
On Sunday night, crews will close the I-95 northbound on-ramp at Exit 133. The ramp will be closed from 9:00 p.m. on June 12th and is scheduled to reopen by 6:00 a.m. on June 13th.
On Monday night, MaineDOT will close the I-95 northbound on-ramp at Exit 132. The ramp will close at 9:00 p.m. on June 13th and is scheduled to reopen by 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
This work is part of a contract awarded to Northeast Paving of Hermon. The total contract amount is $11,819,411.
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News Release for June 9, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) has identified a bridge span as the preferred alternative to replace the existing four box culverts on the Machias Dike Bridge, which carries Route 1 over the Middle River in the Town of Machias. The current structure dates to the Civil War era and is deteriorating.
Based on information collected to date, a bridge will best meet the project's purpose and need to improve the structure's condition, maintain the Sunrise Trail, and provide for future rail use. A bridge will return tidal exchange upstream of the causeway, improving fish passage, and account for anticipated sea level rise. MaineDOT will keep working with the town and public to ensure the bridge and causeway area continue to support existing uses such as vending, parking, walking, cycling, and ATV use. The department will also evaluate ways to improve safety and enhance Machias's prominence as a destination in Downeast Maine.
For the past several years, MaineDOT has been meeting with stakeholders and studying alternatives to replace the Machias Dike Bridge. The department's selection of a preferred alternative comes after years of correspondence with federal environmental regulators at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) regarding protecting the endangered Atlantic salmon population in the Gulf of Maine.
In a September 30th, 2020 letter to MaineDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), NOAA indicated "substantial concerns" with a proposed in-kind replacement of the current structure and wrote that option "would provide even less opportunity for fish passage than exists now and will not remedy ongoing impacts." In an April 15th, 2022 letter to MaineDOT and FHWA, NOAA indicated its preference against replacing the current structure with culverts or tide gates, writing, "we anticipate that long-term monitoring to evaluate the efficiency of fish passage through the structure would be needed to document the amount or extent of take of Atlantic salmon resulting from passage delays and/or disruptions." MaineDOT is now indicating a preference for a bridge span based in part on this guidance from NOAA and the implications that a lack of federal support could have on state taxpayers and sources of funding for this project.
MaineDOT's public process will continue in the coming months. Department staff will be holding a public meeting at the Machias Memorial High School at 1 Bulldog Lane from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on June 28th to discuss the process that led to this decision and our next steps. MaineDOT will carry a bridge as the preferred alternative forward into an Environmental Assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA requires FHWA and MaineDOT to consider public comment and all potential environmental impacts of the preferred alternative to make an informed decision. The preferred solution must also comply with all federal regulations and policies. In addition to the meeting on June 28th, the public will have an opportunity to comment on a draft EA later this year. MaineDOT will continue working with the Town of Machias on desired causeway and bridge features during the EA process and project design.
The department previously held public meetings on this study in March and September 2021. The department has also participated in regular coordination meetings with town staff and other regional stakeholders. Additional project information is available at https://www.maine.gov/mdot/projects/machiasbridge/.
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News Release for June 9, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
BETHEL - The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work on Parkway Road in Bethel. The project area begins at Route 2 and extends east for nearly half a mile to Route 26. Work is scheduled to begin on June 13th and end by July 21st. Drivers may encounter a single-lane, alternating traffic pattern throughout the work area. The contractor on this project is Pike Industries of Westbrook. This work is bundled with other highway work in Oxford County into a single contract in the amount of $10,492,099.
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News Release for June 9, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
BETHEL - The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work and making drainage improvements on part of Route 26 in Bethel. The project area begins just south of Taylor Smith Road and extends west for nearly three miles, ending after Intervale Road. Work is scheduled to begin on June 13th and end by July 21st. Drivers may encounter a single-lane, alternating traffic pattern throughout the work area. The contractor on this project is Pike Industries of Westbrook. This work is bundled with other highway work in Oxford County into a single contract in the amount of $10,492,099.
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News Release for June 9, 2022
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
OXFORD COUNTY - The Maine Department of Transportation will be doing paving work on Route 26 in Greenwood and Woodstock. The project area begins 0.75 miles north of Mills Road in Woodstock and extends north for approximately 1.64 miles, ending just past East Bethel Road in Greenwood. Work is scheduled to begin on June 13th and end by July 14th. Drivers may encounter a single-lane, alternating traffic pattern throughout the work area. The contractor on this project is Pike Industries of Westbrook. This work is bundled with other highway work in Oxford County into a single contract in the amount of $10,492,099.
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Have a Press Inquiry?
Contact Paul Merrill.
Phone: 207-624-3355 or 207-215-9297
Email: paul.merrill@maine.gov
Address: 24 Child St., Augusta, ME 04330
