BIDDEFORD — There’s a joke about Maine’s four seasons being almost winter, winter, still winter and construction. Well, construction season is on, as those traveling parts of Route 1 in Biddeford can certainly attest.

Last week, sewer replacement construction work began on parts of Elm and Main streets that has led to detours in parts of Biddeford, said City Engineer Tom Milligan.

Next week, the Maine Department of Transportation will be conducting road reconstruction on part of Route 1 near the Five Points intersection. MDOT Project Engineer La’Ray Hamilton said the nearly $3 million project, which is primarily funded by federally funds, begins this year and ends in 2015.

According to Milligan, the sewer work, which includes federally mandated sewer and storm water separation, will take place on Elm Street between Cutts and Lincoln streets.

Sections of Elm Street will be closed at various times during the project, he said, which will result in detouring local traffic onto adjacent streets.

During the construction period, businesses in the area will remain open. Construction is expected to last until Labor Day, he said.

While the sewer work is being done, said Milligan, natural gas company Unitel will also be doing work to extend natural gas pipelines in Biddeford, on Main and Elm streets.

On Monday, the MDOT will begin road reconstruction on Route 1 that will go from the area near Janelle Street, through the Five Points intersection and to Dartmouth Street.

There will be no road closures as part of the MDOT Route 1 road construction, said Hamilton. To lessen the impact on traffic, he said, the construction work at the Five Points intersection will be conducted in the evening and early morning hours, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Next year, said Hamilton, road reconstruction on Route 1 will take place from Union Street in Biddeford to Water Street in Saco. Part of the total project also includes reconstruction on part of West Street and South Street, he said.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or [email protected].