Traffic may be diverted for some time on Depot Street in Bridgton as work begins this week on the much-anticipated streetscape improvement project. Construction will initially include stormwater improvements and reconstruction of the roadway, followed by sidewalk improvements as weather conditions permit.
Anne Krieg, Bridgton director of Planning, Economic and Community Development, asks the public to please be advised to look for detours for alternate routes. Equipment and materials may be placed on town property in the vicinity, she said, so caution is necessary in these areas to keep a safe site for both pedestrians and vehicles.
The contractor on the site is J. Pratt Construction, and the engineer is Dustin Roma of Milone & MacBroom. Krieg will be on site at various times, as will Public Works Director Jim Kidder and Cumberland County officials Aaron Shapiro and Maeve Pistrang. Public safety officials have also been notified, and are ready for any assistance.
Onsite construction meetings will be held on Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m. while construction is active. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss the progress of the construction and to review reporting requirements under the Community Development Block Grant Program. These meetings are also to allow coordination with abutting property owners, businesses and organizations, all of whom are welcome to attend and participate.
The construction site will be stabilized once the weather prevents further construction, which will be revived in the spring. The deadline for completion of the project is June 30, 2015. Progress updates and other pertinent information will be posted as it is available to the town’s website, www.bridgtonmaine.org, under Planning/Development.
Portions of the project are delayed due to funding. These include site amenity elements as benches, trash receptacles, and the flagpole sitting area by the Bridgton Community Center. If any individual or business would like to provide one of these elements as a memorial or advertising, please contact Krieg in the town office.
“This is an exciting project for Bridgton, and we hope the inconvenience of access to this area will be offset by its completion,” she said.
All questions and concerns should be directed to Krieg at 647-8786 or by e-mail at krieg@bridgtonmaine.org