Traffic and construction updates in Augusta, Waterville

Western Ave. Bridge, Augusta

The Maine Department of Transportation project to replace the bridge that carries Western Avenue (Route 202) over I-95 in Augusta is going to begin having significant traffic impacts later this month.

Beginning on Monday, October 28, the ramp that carries eastbound Western Avenue traffic to the interstate will be closed. Eastbound traffic will be able to use one of three detours to access I-95:

– Vehicles can continue eastbound down Western Avenue and reverse direction at Meadow Road/Fuller Road to access the interstate from the westbound side of Western Avenue.
– Vehicles can continue eastbound down Western Avenue and take a right on Senator Way followed by a left on Crossing Way (this goes past Target), and then access the interstate from the westbound side of Western Avenue. This option is the official truck detour.
– For southbound interstate access only, vehicles can take a right on Whitten Road before the interstate. There will be a new connection between Whitten Road and the southbound interstate ramp.

Beginning on Monday, November 18, the southbound interstate exit ramp at Exit 109B will also be closed. Southbound traffic can use Exit 109A to get off the interstate and onto Western Avenue.

Each of these ramp closures will last approximately 30 days. During this time, contractors will be constructing the temporary bridge that will carry Western Avenue over the interstate during the next phase of construction.

On-site construction for this project started in November 2023. The work has been happening primarily under the existing bridge and ramps with minimal traffic impacts.

The existing Western Avenue bridge is approximately 70 years old. MaineDOT is replacing the structure with a new bridge on a similar alignment. The new bridge will provide additional vertical clearance on the interstate. It will also include approximately 1,350 feet of new sidewalk along Western Avenue and Whitten Road to improve pedestrian access and safety.

The contractor for this project is Reed & Reed, Inc. of Woolwich. The contract amount is approximately $30 million.

Ticonic Bridge, Waterville-Winslow

Original plans, beginning December 16, the Ticonic Bridge across the Kennebec River, between Waterville and Winslow, will be closed to all traffic through June 20, 2025. However, because this falls during the holiday season, the Maine Department of Transportation and Cianbro Corp., the contractor, are in talks about delaying the closure until after the holidays. More details to come.