Continued bad weather could nullify gains

Read original article as published by TheForcaster.net

By Randy Billings (published: February 14, 2008)

SOUTH PORTLAND – The reconfiguration of Interstate 295 Exit 3 at Westbrook Street is ahead of schedule, according to the Maine Department of Transportation.

But Shawn Smith, the project manager, tempered expectations that the entire project could be finished before its projected completion date of June 2009.

“Right now, we’re slightly ahead of schedule,” Smith said. “But it’s weather-dependent. You get days like this and we don’t work. It may take a couple days to get back on track.”

Smith said that a productive fall and early winter allowed crews from R.J. Grondin & Sons of Scarborough to make more progress than planned on earth work and drainage systems. However, if there are more major winter storms, like there have been in the past week, that progress could be negated, he said.

Once complete, the Exit 3 improvements are expected to improve traffic flow at one of the city’s busiest intersections.

Traffic coming from the Maine Mall area will no longer have to make a left turn across a busy lane of traffic to go north to Portland. Instead, traffic will turn right on West Broadway to access a new on-ramp across from Sokokis Street.

The widening process got off to a rocky start in the fall when crews clear-cut a swath of trees buffering the municipal golf course from Broadway.

Smith said crews have finished widening the Broadway-Westbrook Street intersection to make space for new dedicated turn lanes, and are now working on building abutments to support the new overpass, which will carry northbound traffic over Westbrook Street before merging with the Interstate.

Once the abutments are built, Smith said crews will bring in the steel crossbeams for the overpass. Those beams will be installed in late winter or early spring during four or five night sessions, which should minimize the impact on traffic, Smith said.

Although the new intersection and overpass seem to be coming together rather quickly, Smith said the slowest work still lies ahead. He said progress will slow down once road crews actually start building the new Broadway-Westbrook Street intersection, which requires crews to work in traffic.

Once the groundwork is complete for the new intersection, Smith said road crews will work nights to pave the intersection.

Smith said MDOT will post updates on electronic message boards ahead of any construction that will impact traffic or take place at night. MDOT will also issue information to local news outlets, he said.

If all goes well, Smith said the department could still complete the $5.6 million project ahead of schedule.

“If we get a lot of good weather and get more done than we anticipate, then maybe we can get done a little sooner,” he said. “That wouldn’t hurt anybody’s feelings.”

Randy Billings can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 100 or rbillings@theforecaster.net.