Say good-bye to bumpy Main Street
IN THE CITY
By Dana Fowler
I am sure you are wondering when Main Street is going to be paved, so that you will not spill your coffee as you are driving through downtown. I have good news. The Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) recently opened bids on the project and the paving will begin in a few short weeks.
Lane Construction of Presque Isle will be the contractor on this $1.96 million mill and fill project. The project will begin at the Chapman Road intersection and extend northerly to Aroostook Centre Mall. The work will consist of milling off the surface pavement and then placing new pavement. There should be very little dust because the vast majority of the work will be in the asphalt pavement surface as opposed to the underlying gravel base materials.
Following a public input meeting early this year, MDOT incorporated many of the outcomes of that meeting into the job specifications. For example, all of the work will be conducted at night from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. to minimize the impact to businesses and to the traveling public. A minimum of one northbound and one southbound lane will always be open, so that there will be no traffic delays. All traffic lanes will be open during the daylight hours.
Part of the construction will include a new sidewalk along the east side of Main Street from the Walmart intersection to the Maysville Street intersection. The cost of the new sidewalk will be shared jointly by the City and MDOT. This sidewalk will provide a safe means of travel for pedestrians where none existed before.
The MDOT and the city will also be having weekly meetings to ensure that any issues that arise during construction are addressed and to maintain good communications between the public, businesses, City, and the MDOT. We are all looking forward to the final product with great anticipation. We know it’s been long time coming and we thank you for your patience.
If you have questions on public works issues, please contact the Public Works Division at 760-2712 or 764-2560.
Dana H. Fowler, P.E., is public services director for the city of Presque Isle. He can be reached at 760-2707 or via email at dfowler@presqueisleme.us.
