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This is the I-295 Northbound Project Logo
Home >Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Project

  • Is this project part of the economic stimulus plan?
    Yes, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is funding this and other projects.
  • Why was this project the first priority of all other transportation projects?
    The most important consideration is safety. As with the southbound lanes of I-295 that were rehabilitated last year, the northbound lanes suffer from an alkali-silica reaction, which weakens the road support. Upon further testing, MaineDOT recognized the need to address the issue, sooner rather than later, in order to ensure safety on this road. Approximately 13,500 cars travel on the road daily during peak travel season.
  • Why are you doing this during peak travel season?
    Maine’s harsh winters include low temperatures and heavy snowfall. Paving and other construction activities can only be performed during certain weather and temperature conditions. These conditions occur between May and October.
  • What about the Maine Turnpike? Will they be doing projects as well?
    MaineDOT has been working with the Maine Turnpike Authority (MTA) to ensure that its highway will be open throughout the MaineDOT construction activity. The MTA has been very cooperative, and has rescheduled or postponed construction projects to accommodate traffic.
  • Who is the chosen contractor of the project?
    Pike Industries.

Detour

  • How will the detour work?
    Two crossovers are being created, which will divert northbound traffic onto the newly rehabilitated I-295 Southbound just north of Exit 28 in Topsham, and will then revert traffic back onto the northbound lanes just south of Exit 49 in Gardiner. Southbound drivers will have the option of taking Route 201 or the Maine Turnpike. For northbound traffic, the existing “on-ramps” will be converted to “off-ramps.” There will be abundant signage and barricades to ensure that drivers do not attempt to access these ramps from the wrong direction. There will also be no way to get onto I-295 from Richmond or Bowdoinham. Those ramps will be closed.
  • What will you do to ensure safety on both of the proposed alternate routes?
    Additional law enforcement will strictly enforce reduced speed limits on Routes 201 and I-295. There will be increased signage throughout Route 201 and additional traffic signals will be installed. On I-295, the speed limits will be reduced to 60 mph and there will be signage on the Exit 37 and 43 on-ramps, which will serve as off-ramps for northbound traffic. A MaineDOT patrol truck will assist with any traffic problems or breakdowns during peak hours.
  • How will emergency vehicles access I-295 Southbound ?
    The southbound off-ramps will be closed and locked in Richmond and Bowdoinham. Law enforcement will have access to ensure safe passage into northbound traffic on I-295 Southbound.
  • Why not divert the northbound traffic to Route 201?
    MaineDOT considered a number of approaches as to how to route traffic safely and efficiently. We were successful in rerouting I-295 Southbound traffic onto Route 201 last year. One reason for that success was that motorists heading to Portland and south, as well as commercial vehicles, used the Maine Turnpike.
    This year, if northbound vehicles wanted to use the Turnpike they would have to make the decision in Portland. In addition, the Turnpike has construction underway on the spur in Falmouth so we didn’t want additional traffic using the Falmouth spur to reach the Turnpike. By using 201 as an alternate route for southbound traffic, motorists could make the decision in Gardiner increasing the percentage of vehicles using that route.
  • Last year it was discussed that Route 201 would receive attention if needed. Will it be repaved this year?
    MaineDOT plans to make improvements to Route 201 following the project. The exact construction plans will be solidified once we have a better understanding of the road’s needs following this project.
  • How congested will Route 201 be?
    We anticipate that southbound Route 201 traffic will be similar to last year’s traffic, which moved smoothly.
  • How much time will the proposed detours add to a trip?
    None of the alternate routes are expected to add more than 15 minutes to travel time. The northbound detour onto I-295 Southbound will not affect travel time, except for the slight delay with the reduced speed limits.

Additional Questions

  • Are other MaineDOT projects being suspended because of this?
    No, but that would have been the case if the project hadn’t been 100% funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
  • How much will this project cost and how is it funded?
    The project will cost $35.5 million and is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This is the first project in Maine to use this funding.
  • What will happen if the project runs late/over budget?
    The contract includes financial incentives for the contractor to complete the project early. There are also financial penalties for completing it late.
  • The staging area looks larger than last year. Why?
    This year, the staging areas will include a temporary asphalt plant, directly adjacent to I-295 in Richmond, which will produce 70% of the asphalt for the project. This will help to reduce the traffic coming from the Summerhaven plant in Augusta. Pike predicts this will reduce truck traffic to 20% of what it was last year.


This page last updated on 8/25/09