AUGUSTA – Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, is pleased to announce the details of Maine’s three-year transportation infrastructure work plan, and what it means for District 1. The plan is released annually with an outline of the Maine Department of Transportation’s strategy for road, bridge and other transportation upgrades and maintenance projects.
“Throughout my time in the Legislature, I have consistently heard from constituents who have questions and concerns about potholes, bridge maintenance and general road repair. With so many crucial infrastructure upgrades needed in Aroostook County, I am glad to see the list of projects that MaineDOT will be taking on over the next few years,” said President Jackson. “While I know that there is always more work to do, these investments are key to both economic growth and the safety of residents in northern Maine.”
According to the MDOT, the work plan covers approximately $2.59 billion worth of construction and maintenance, which includes 2,051 work items. The three-year plan estimates MDOT will invest in 171 miles of highway construction and rehabilitation; 858 miles of pavement preservation; 1,800 miles of light capital paving for roads and highways; 170 safety and spot improvements; and 148 bridge projects.
Among the projects listed in Senate District 1 is the replacement of the Madawaska-Edmundston International Bridge, originally built 100 years ago. The following breakdown is the list of planned capital and maintenance work for communities in the district in 2020:
Bridge Rehabilitation
- Includes four bridges along the Maine Northern Railway in Eagle Lake, Frenchville, Fort Kent and Wallagrass.
- Gagnon Brook Rail Bridge over Gagnon Brook in Frenchville, located on the Madawaska Branch rail line.
Bridge and Structural Maintenance
- Replacement of Gagnon Brook Bridge over Gagnon Brook in Frenchville, located 0.47 of a mile south of Pelletier Avenue.
- Replacing surface on the Limestone Road Bridge over Limestone Stream on Route 1A in Limestone, located 704 feet north of the intersection of Route 89.
- Replacement of the International Bridge over the St. John River in Madawaska, located 0.27 of a mile north of Route 1 on the United States-Canada border.
Building Repair
- Repairing Caribou Fleet building located 0.20 of a mile from the intersection of Bennett Drive and the Van Buren Road in Caribou.
Culvert Replacements
- New large culvert located 5.07 miles north of the Strip Road in Eagle Lake.
- New large culvert located 0.11 of a mile south of Makayla Drive in Eagle Lake.
- Cross culvert located 1.65 miles south of the Wallagrass town line in Eagle Lake.
- Replacing culvert located 1.00 mile north of the New Canada town line in Fort Kent.
- Ditching and replacing culverts on the Albert Road in Limestone, beginning at Route 89 and extending north 1.56 miles to the Mill Road.
- Ditching and replacing culverts in various locations on School Street and Jemtland Road, beginning at Main Street in Stockholm and extending east to the intersection of Route 1 in Connor Twp.
- Replacement of a large culvert located 0.48 of a mile west of the Madawaska town line in Saint Agatha.
- Ditching and replacing culvert on Route 164 in Washburn, beginning 0.22 of a mile west of the Rum Rapids Road and extending 4.50 miles to the intersection of the Castle Hill Road.
Culvert Repair
- Repairing culvert on Route 161 in Fort Kent located 1.30 miles north of the Strip Road.
- Work on a large culvert located 1.25 miles north of Cyr Road in Grand Isle.
- Work on a Large culvert located 0.96 of a mile north of Jepson Road in New Sweden.
- Work on a large culvert located 0.02 of a mile north of Stockholm Road in New Sweden.
- Repairing culverts on Route 164 in Washburn, located 1.00 mile south of the Castle Hill Road.
- Improvements on a large culvert located 0.06 of a mile northwest of the Goodwin Road in Woodland.
Ditching
- Ditching various locations on Route 161 in Allagash, beginning at the intersection of Route 161 and Carney Road and extending east 2.10 miles.
- Ditching various locations on Route 227 in Ashland, beginning at the intersection of Hayward Street and Route 227 and extending east 3.60 miles to Sheridan Road.
- Ditching on Route 161 in Saint John Plt., beginning 1.20 miles southeast of the intersection of the Jalbert Road and extending southeast 0.20 of a mile.
- Ditching in various locations on the Sly Brook Road in Wallagrass, beginning at the Wallagrass-New Canada town line extending south to the Wallagrass-Eagle Lake town line.
- Ditching and cleaning guardrail in various locations on Route 11 in Fort Kent, beginning 0.30 of a mile north of Aroostook School Road and extending north 1.08 miles.
Drainage Improvements/Maintenance
- Municipal Partnership Initiative Program, work beginning 0.01 of a mile north of Stoddard Street in Washburn and extending north 0.15 of a mile.
Grading/Shoulder Maintenance
- Grading shoulders on the Garfield Road, beginning at the intersection of Route 11 in Masardis and extending north 11.46 miles to the intersection of Route 11 in Ashland.
- Rebuilding low shoulders on Route 164 in Washburn, beginning at the Presque Isle-Washburn town line and extending northwest 5.59 miles to the Gardner Creek Road.
Guardrail Installation/Replacement Rural Highways
- Cable guardrail replacement on Routes 2A, 161, and 227 in the towns of Haynesville, Caribou, Mapleton, and Presque Isle.
Highway Improvement
- Beginning at Madawaska town line and extending north 5.74 miles to 0.15 of a mile east of St. Agatha Avenue in Frenchville.
- Beginning 0.18 of a mile north of Parent Road in Van Buren and extending north 1.91 miles.
Light Capital Paving
- Beginning 1.39 miles north of Sheridan Road in Ashland and extending north 7.20 miles to Castle Hill.
- Beginning at Route 1A in Fort Fairfield and extending north 10.25 miles to Route 89 in Caribou.
- Beginning at Clover Hill Lane in Eagle Lake and extending north 3.89 miles to the Wallagrass town line.
- Beginning 0.12 of a mile south of Soucy Road in Hamlin and extending north 0.76 of a mile to Route 1 in Van Buren.
- Beginning 1.18 miles north of the Chasse Road and extending north 1.21 miles to Route 162 in Saint Agatha.
PMRAP DOT Pugmill Rural Highways
- Beginning 2.47 miles northwest of the T17 R4 WELS town line and extending southeast 10.50 miles to Route 161, stretching through Cross Lake Twp, Saint Agatha, and Sinclair.
PMRAP Laydown/Surface HMA Rural Highways
- Beginning 2.47 miles northwest of the T17 R4 WELS town line and extending southeast 10.50 miles to Route 161, stretching through Cross Lake Twp., Saint Agatha, and Sinclair.
Rail Crossing Improvements
- Rail Crossing located 0.10 of a mile north of the Van Buren town line in Grand Isle.
- Railroad Crossing located 0.42 of a mile south of the Ashland town line in Masardis.
Reconstruction Runway/Taxiway
- Safety and infrastructure improvements at Northern Aroostook Regional Airport in Frenchville that may include apron reconstruction and partial parallel taxiway construction.
Slope Stabilization/Protection Urban and Rural Highways
- Beginning 0.22 of a mile west of GC Hartt Road in Allagash and extending southwest 0.16 of a mile. Continuing 0.02 of a mile west of Carney Road and extending northeast 0.11 of a mile.
- Work on a large culvert located 1.09 miles south of Route 161 in Caribou.
- Beginning 0.81 of a mile northwest of the Fort Fairfield town line and extending north 0.09 of a mile in Caribou.
- Located 2.16 miles north of Deboullie Mountain Road in St. Francis and extending north 0.03 of a mile.
- Located 0.57 of a mile east of Mill Road in Saint John Plt.
Ultra-Thin Bonded Wearing Course Rural Highways
- Beginning at Route 161B in Caribou and extending north 2.13 miles. Project also includes 1.03 miles on the southbound lane and two ramps off Route 1.
The entire MDOT three-year work plan can be viewed here.
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