Route 1A work nearing completion in Easton, Mars Hill

A freshly paved section of Route 1A in Easton, near the Aroostook Auction Barn, stretches off into the distance on Sept. 27. Crews with the contractor are finishing up paving, milling and other work by mid-October, and were seen striping the road during some of the hottest days of September. (BDN Staff photo/Anthony Brino)

A $3.7 million road improvement project on a more than 6 mile stretch of the long cracked and pock-marked Route 1A is wrapping up this fall.

Crews with Presque Isle contractor Lane Construction Company of Presque Isle are expected to finish the milling, overlay and safety improvement work by Oct. 14, according to Ted Talbot, spokesperson with the Maine Department of Transportation.

The project involves 6.3 miles of Route 1A beginning in Mars Hill and ending in Easton, one of the highest trafficked areas of the roadway due to the local McCain Foods and Huber Engineered Woods factories.

Talbot said the project also includes drainage and safety additions along the roadway.

Lane was awarded the $3.7 million contract for the work on Route 1A, which runs east of Route 1 from Mars Hill to Hamlin.