I-95 shut down from Richmond to Topsham (Portland, South Portland: house, construction)

[Maineah]

Have you had to deal with the shutdown of the southbound side of I-95 from Richmond to Topsham yet?
I had to take the SAAB to Augusta for rear shocks blown out from the lovely roads this spring. Only to find I had to take 201 from Gardiner to Topsham on the way home! It was a nice ride but much longer than the highway. I'll bet those living along 201 are not real happy with the increase in traffic!

[PMBird]

Nope, not overly thrilled with the increased traffic or the speed limit change.

[island mermaid]

Originally Posted by PMBird

Nope, not overly thrilled with the increased traffic or the speed limit change.

Did they increase or decrease the speed limit? It was 45-50 in spots wasn't it? Nice ride, especially in the fall. I used to travel that route long ago before they extended 295.

[Acadianlion]

It was quite a surprise, and made me almost twenty minutes late to my meeting in South Portland.

I also counted four police cruisers in the stretch, either sitting by the road side or sitting in back of some other car with the lights flashing handing out a citation. Obviously the locals and the State Police are making hay nailing people who are going to fast along that stretch.

I do not believe that I have ever seen MDOT do a road resurfacing project this way before. NOrmally they just close one lane off at a time, but to close an entire stretch of divided highway...more than twenty miles...and reroute all traffic in one direction is weird, especially at the start of the big travel season.

[PMBird]

Originally Posted by Fort Lauderdale mermaid

Did they increase or decrease the speed limit? It was 45-50 in spots wasn't it? Nice ride, especially in the fall. I used to travel that route long ago before they extended 295.

The speed limit has been dropped to 45. Even though that stretch of 201 doesn't have any work being done to it, it is being concidered a construction zone so all fines are doubled.

To add to "Acadianlion's comment ""I also counted four police cruisers in the stretch, either sitting by the road side or sitting in back of some other car with the lights flashing handing out a citation. Obviously the locals and the State Police are making hay nailing people who are going to fast along that stretch."" ~ There is most definately an added police presence. Law enforcement tends to less lenient on your speed through a construction zone. I'm sure it's for everyone's safety, but with doubled fines, there is definately some $$ to be made on that 20+ miles stretch of 201.

[island mermaid]

Dropped to 45 even though it isn't considered a construction zone? Wow!
That'll add some time to your morning commute.
I had read about the construction in The Times Record, but don't remember how long they said it would be shut down.

Back in May the DOT had closed down a section of Rt 1 in Woolwich and rerouted traffic through a small narrow 2 lane road also. Those residents were openly angry about the amount of traffic on their road also.

It's "construction" season in Maine.

[PMBird]

Originally Posted by Fort Lauderdale mermaid

Dropped to 45 even though it isn't considered a construction zone? Wow!
That'll add some time to your morning commute.
I had read about the construction in The Times Record, but don't remember how long they said it would be shut down.

Back in May the DOT had closed down a section of Rt 1 in Woolwich and rerouted traffic through a small narrow 2 lane road also. Those residents were openly angry about the amount of traffic on their road also.

It's "construction" season in Maine.

According to DOT ""I-295 South Bound between Gardiner and Topsham is now closed until Augusta 30, 2008"" I believe Augusta & August mean the same to DOT

[Unhappycamper]

I get the glory and honor of driving it 201 home now...

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by PMBird

According to DOT ""I-295 South Bound between Gardiner and Topsham is now closed until Augusta 30, 2008"" I believe Augusta & August mean the same to DOT

They said it would take three years to do the same amount of work they can do in three months if the highway was left open while they resurfaced it. I believe it.

[Coaster]

You can find all the details here:

The Road Less Traveled - Down East Magazine - Maine

Apparently closing down the entire highway saves tons of time and money, since the contractor can work without having to worry about traffic and all the safety hazards that come with it. Tough on the folks who live along 201, though. We had a gathering at our house yesterday, and two groups had to drive down 201. Traffic was moving until they got to Topsham, when it was lined up at the lights.