By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

It’s summer in Maine, which means beach days, mosquitoes and road construction.

And with an influx of money from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed earlier this year, crews throughout Biddeford and Saco are busy working simultaneously on sewer and road repair projects. Work must begin within 120 days of departments being awarded stimulus money.

In Biddeford, work is under way on several main roads. Director of Public Works Guy Casavant said repaving projects on Alfred Street (Route 111) and Pool Street (Route 9) are being done by the Maine Department of Transportation using stimulus money.

Casavant said the Alfred Street repaving project should be finished within the next few weeks after crews work on curbing and manhole adjustments and a final coat of pavement. The DOT is starting work on Pool Street, where the city recently finished a combined sewer overflow (CSO) separation project. Crews will repave Pool Street from Main Street to the area of West Brook Skating Rink, he said.

Other area projects include ongoing sewer separation on Ray Street, Casavant said. He said CSO work on Cleaves Street is scheduled to begin later this month. The DOT also will repave Pine Street from Main Street to the bridge over the Saco River starting in four to six weeks, according to Maine DOT Spokesman Mark Latti. 

On Elm Street, crews are working on a CSO separation project in the area of Hannaford and Dairy Joy. Casavant said the project is part of about $40 million in CSO work the city has to address. Voters passed a $4.9 million bond last November for the work, and an additional $3 million was received in stimulus money, he said.

“This $3 million infusion is just $3 million less we have to come up with locally. It’s great,” Casavant said.

City Engineer Tom Milligan said CSO work includes 2,200 feet on Elm and Union streets and 800 feet on Wentworth Street. After crews finish on Elm Street, they will move to Union and Wentworth to begin work there. He said they will likely finish the work by November if not sooner.

Saco roadwork being done by the DOT includes paving projects on Route 1 from Lincoln Street east to the intersection of Route 1 and North Street; North Street (Route 112) from the I-95 overpass to the Park Street intersection and Beach Street/Ferry Road from Route 1 southeast to Pine Ridge Road.

Latti said work on Route 1 in Saco will begin in three weeks and work on Beach Street will begin in four to six weeks depending on weather conditions.

Latti said the six paving projects in Biddeford and Saco total $1.7 million. Crews will remove deteriorating pavement and install new pavement, pave shoulders and make minor sidewalk adjustments, he said. Crews will work nights on Route 1 in Saco to minimize delays. 

Saco Director of Public Works Michael Bolduc said the city is not currently working on any road projects, though sidewalk repair work on Beach Street was timed to coincide with state repaving. He said crews are also working on Main Street to install underground utilities for lighting changes. 

Mary Ann Conroy, public works director in Old Orchard Beach, announced this week that work on the Ross Road culvert project is scheduled to begin Aug. 3. Crews from Peters Construction are expected to finish by Aug. 31. At least one lane will be open to traffic at all times, except from Aug. 10 to 14 when the road will be closed to all traffic. 

Before a street project starts, a traffic control plan in approved by city officials, Casavant said. The idea is to minimize disruption to traffic flow, especially on main roads, he said. 

On Elm Street in Biddeford, traffic was initially allowed through in both directions, resulting in a long backup of traffic in the area of 5-Points intersection, Casavant said. Traffic headed toward Saco is now allowed on Elm Street while traffic in the opposite direction is detoured to South and May streets. 

Casavant said Police Chief Roger Beaupre is invaluable when developing traffic plans because of his years of experience in the city. Beaupre believes drivers are more tolerant of roadwork as long as they continue to move, even if that means taking a detour of several miles, he said.

Traffic control plans also include routes for emergency vehicles. Casavant said emergency vehicles are guaranteed access on Elm Street going toward Southern Maine Medical Center. A “very important” part of the plan takes into consideration the direction emergency vehicles need to travel and how they trigger traffic lights to change to allow them through, he said. The city also notifies Saco and Old Orchard Beach crews of the plan to prepare them for trips to the hospital.

Casavant said he understands the frustration drivers may feel when they encounter road construction, but said people should be patient and use caution when traveling through work zones. 

“Everyone certainly understands the inconvenience, but look at the benefits going ahead,” he said.

Staff  Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.