News Release for August 24, 2007

Contact: Peggy Duval, 624-3557

SPRAYING, PAVING SCHEDULED FOR RAIL TRAIL NEXT WEEK

The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) says more spraying to eradicate invasive plants and additional paving work is scheduled next week on the new section of the Kennebec River Rail Trail in Farmingdale and Hallowell.

“Our present schedule calls for final grading of the section of trail from the vicinity of Merrill Street in Farmingdale to Greenville Street in Hallowell on Tuesday, August 28th,” explains MaineDOT project manager Peggy Duval.  “We also will be putting down herbicide spray Tuesday evening to kill the Japanese knotweed, prior to paving that same area on Wednesday, August 29th.”

Duval emphasizes the need for the public to avoid the unfinished portion of the trail next week.  “The herbicide imazapyr is being used to kill the knotweed, an aggressive, invasive plant, which, if left untreated, could grow under and push up through the trail pavement, destroying it prematurely.  The spray concentration we’ll be using is safe when properly applied and given time for the soil to absorb it.  But it’s not anything people should be tracking around on the bottom of their shoes or sneakers.”

“We know there are people who continue to use the unfinished section of the trail despite our previous warnings through the news media and our signs on the trail.  It’s a dangerous situation which will get even more dangerous next week because of the spraying and paving operations.  We urge anyone who may have been using the unfinished portion of the trail to resist the temptation and to stay off the trail for their own safety,” she continued.

Ongoing work on the uncompleted section of the trail will have no impact on use of the already completed sections.  “People can continue to use the finished sections from Augusta to Hallowell and Farmingdale to Gardiner.  But they really do need to stay off the unfinished section from Farmingdale to Hallowell.  It is an active construction work area, with some very real dangers until the project has been completed,” Duval explained.

The contract for the project, awarded to Wyman and Simpson of Richmond, ME on a bid of nearly $2.5-million, calls for completion of the work by early October.

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