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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2014
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Temporary Traffic Pattern Northbound at Exit 80 in Lewiston Sunday Night (11/2)
Traffic to be Diverted between the hours of 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM
LEWISTON, Maine – On Sunday evening, November 2, 2014, there will be a mainline closure at Exit 80 in Lewiston to prepare the site for upcoming construction work. During the closure, traffic travelling northbound on the mainline will exit the Turnpike at the Exit 80 Interchange and reenter using the new on-ramp in order to continue travelling north. The closure is scheduled to begin at 11:00 PM Sunday evening and will continue through 5:00 AM Monday morning, November 3, 2014. Motorists might encounter minor delays due to slowing down on ramp and possibly stopping to cross Alfred Plourde Parkway.
During the closure message boards will be in place to inform approaching travelers of the closure, 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 time.
The closure comes as crews prepare for Phase II of the Exit 80 Interchange improvement project. During Phase II, the existing mainline bridges over Alfred Plourde Parkway will be removed and replaced, as well as reconstruction of the mainline in both directions. The work will begin with removing and replacing the southbound bridge, during which time southbound traffic will be rerouted onto the northbound bridge. Two-way traffic will be maintained on the mainline throughout Phase II construction. The contract for Phase II construction is currently out to bid and is expected to be awarded in November 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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