A water-main replacement project along Route 77 in Cape Elizabeth will tear things up for a couple months, but officials don’t anticipate major traffic problems.

The 5,300 feet of water main between Crescent Beach State Park and Wentworth Road is being replaced by the Portland Water District in order to improve fire flow characteristics, which means that more water will be available to put out large fires.

The project is scheduled to begin April 1 and will last through the end of June. According Frank Meader, utility engineering coordinator at the Portland Water District, the Maine Department of Transportation has recently decided to pave Route 77 within the next year or two, which is why the water district decided to go through with the project at this time. Also, Meader said, the water district wanted to finish before the heavier summer traffic.

Meader said that the work shouldn’t cause much of a traffic problem. The road is wide enough so that two lanes of commercial traffic will be able to pass through easily. According to the Portland Water District’s press release, cones, barrels and traffic control personnel will all be used to keep the traffic moving.

The pipe installation will take place in the paved shoulder on the north side of the road. Bicyclists, pedestrians and runners will be directed to the south-side paved shoulder during the project.

Questions about the project should be directed to Meader, at 774-5961 ext. 3069, or e-mail at fmeader@pwd.org.

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