News Release for August 27, 2007

Contact: Martine Burnham 592-2547 or Dan Ross 592-6058

MAINEDOT SETS SCHEDULES

FOR TWO AROOSTOOK COUNTY PROJECTS

The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) says work has begun on one Aroostook County highway improvement project and will begin soon on a second one.  “We’ve started work on Route 161 in New Canada and will begin work on Route 227 in Mapleton in early September,” explains Martine Burnham, MaineDOT’s construction manager for both projects.

“On Route 161 in New Canada, we’ve begun replacing two large pipes carrying the outlet from Daigle Pond under the roadway.  The work area is between the intersections of Route 161 with the Emerson Road and the Cemetery Hill Road,” Burnham explains.  “Drivers can expect to encounter alternating one-way traffic through the work area during the daytime, but we plan to have both lanes open to traffic at night. Once we complete installation of the two large pipes, we’ll be paving and installing roadside guard rail.”  Plans call for completion of the project by the end of the first week in September.

“In Mapleton, the work area on Route 227, also known as the State Road, is scheduled to begin on Monday, September 10th.  We’re going to be replacing a four-foot by ten-foot box culvert that carries Clayton Brook under Route 227 between the Hughes Road and the Bangor-and-Aroostook rail line.  We’ll be doing the work in sections, with Route 227 down to one lane of traffic both day and night.  A temporary traffic signal will be installed to regulate traffic flow through the work area.  After the new culvert is in place, we’ll be paving and installing new roadside guard rail,” Burnham continued.  “Plans call for completion of this project by the end of September.”

Both projects were combined into a single MaineDOT contract as an economy measure.  That contract was awarded to Ed Pelletier and Sons of Madawaska on a bid of nearly $493-thousand.

Burnham says drivers approaching either work area should be alert for workers or equipment in the roadway.  “With lane restrictions included in both projects, there’s a good possibility drivers will have to stop while oncoming traffic clears the restricted area.  And even if there is no oncoming traffic, travel conditions through the work area may be different than what drivers encounter on either end of the work.  The safest thing to do is to slow down as they approach the work area and to proceed through it with care and caution,” Burnham concluded.

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