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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 12, 2014
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Southbound Ramp Closures at Exit 80 Begin Sunday, September 14 at 8:00 PM
Overnight Ramp Closures to Begin Sunday, September 14th at 8:00 p.m. for Final Pavement
LEWISTON, Maine – Maine Turnpike motorists are advised to prepare for a series of overnight ramp closures at Exit 80 in Lewiston, beginning Sunday, September 14, 2014. The ramp closures will occur in the southbound direction only and will begin with the southbound off-ramp. The work on the southbound off-ramp is scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. and will last through 5:00 a.m. for a total of two nights, weather permitting. Beginning Tuesday night, September 16, 2014, the southbound on-ramp will be closed from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. for four nights. All work is weather dependent and could impact this schedule.
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Sun 9/14 |
Mon 9/15 |
Tue 9/17 |
Wed 9/17 |
Thu 9/18 |
Fri 9/19 |
SB OFF
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CLOSED |
CLOSED |
open |
open |
open |
open |
| 8 p - 5 a |
8 p - 5 a |
| SB ON |
open |
open |
CLOSED |
CLOSED |
CLOSED |
CLOSED |
| 10 p - 5 a |
10 p - 5 a |
10 p - 5 a |
10 p - 5 a |
Motorists should prepare alternate travel routes during the closures. Message boards will be in place to inform approaching travelers of closures, and Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) broadcasts on 1610 AM will also be used to inform drivers. The Maine Turnpike Authority appreciates motorists’ patience and understanding during this construction.
The ramp paving is the final part of Phase I, the first phase of the Lewiston Interchange improvement project that is currently underway. Phase I, a $5.1 million project, awarded to RJ Grondin & Sons of Gorham, Maine, began in January 2014 and is expected to be completed by fall 2014. Construction on Phase II (the mainline and bridges) is scheduled to begin in fall 2014. The third and final phase, Phase III, will tie the single point ramps into a single new traffic signal on Alfred Plourde Parkway.
The new interchange has been designed as a Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI). This will be the first SPUI design in the State of Maine. The SPUI design was selected to reduce impacts on adjacent property owners, reduce impacts on natural resources, improve current traffic operations, and to accommodate the future growth in the region.
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