Post office entrance
undergoes upgrade
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
UNDER CONSTRUCTION — The Presque Isle Post Office on Second Street is undergoing an upgrade to its steps and handicap ramp. Work began in July, with the old steps and ramp removed and a temporary wooden ramp installed, with plans to install new steps and a heated ramp to improve wintertime safety. The project is expected to be completed by the end of September.
PRESQUE ISLE — An upgrade at the Presque Isle Post Office on Second Street that is expected to make access for handicapped individuals easier, especially during winter months, was delayed temporarily after crews performing the demolition of the front steps discovered a discrepancy from what was indicated by the original site plan.
The project, which began in July, was initially scheduled to end later this month. A temporary wooden ramp was built to allow access, pending completion of the job. Work has been delayed by about a month to allow officials to come up with an updated site plan.
“The project started in July. It was put on hold for three weeks to review existing foundation conditions after demolition. When we excavated the old ramp and staircase, we encountered site conditions that weren’t on the original plans from 1932,” said Tom Rizzo, spokesman, Northern New England District of the U.S. Postal Service, which covers Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Rizzo said while it isn’t unusual to encounter variances to the original plans during the demolition phase, design changes were necessary.
“These were drawn up to accommodate continuation of the work,” he said.
An Augusta-based contractor was hired for the job.
“A Maine company, Ganneston Construction, of Augusta, is performing the work,” Rizzo said.
When completed, the post office will have a new ramp and steps.
“The scope of the work includes demolition of the existing ramp and the lower stairs, removal of the existing hand rail, construction of a new ramp with new hand rails, reconstruction of the lower stairs with hand rails and reconstruction of the hand rails of the upper stairs. Also, the new ramp will be constructed with a new snow melt system,” said Rizzo.
Rizzo said the project is funded through the Postal Service capital budget “after a competitive bidding process.” He didn’t, however, provide a dollar value for the work being performed.
The upgrade is expected to make entering and exiting the post office easier for anyone using the ramp during the colder months and reduce the use of chemicals to remove snow and ice.
“The new ramp will be constructed with a new snow melt system, which is better for the environment because it greatly reduces the use of salt or other ice-melt chemicals and as a result costs much less to maintain while providing safer walking conditions in below-freezing temperatures,” said Rizzo.
The original completion date, according to Rizzo, was to be the end of August. The new completion date is expected to be in late September.
