BRUNSWICK — Commuters beware, road work on Route 1 in Brunswick is expected to continue through Wednesday, according to the Maine Department of Transportation.
Paving and striping work began Tuesday on both sides of Route 1 between the Cooks Corner interchange and the entrance to the Brunswick-Topsham bypass and was expected to wrap up by the weekend, the Portland Press Herald reported Wednesday.
According to Paul Merrill, public information officer for the DOT, “The weather has delayed us a bit this week,” but “if all goes according to plan, the paving work will be done on Monday with painting finished up on Tuesday or Wednesday.” Crews will still be painting Monday when the roads dry, likely in late morning or early afternoon, he said.
Motorists were advised to expect “some travel delays” while crews worked, the Press Herald reported. The northbound lanes will be paved and striped between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. while the paving and striping on the southbound lane will start at 7 a.m. and wrap up around 2:30 to “accommodate the shift change at BIW,” Merrill said. Bath Iron Works is one of the state’s largest employers and employees change shifts around 3:30 p.m., putting thousands of cars on the road going to and from work.
But even with that in mind, some commuters expressed frustration over the delays.
“Absolutely terrible decision at what is already a busy commuting time,” Sacha Santospago said in a comment on a Times Record Facebook post, adding that it took over an hour for what is usually only a 20 to 25-minute drive home.
Andrea Curtis Daigle agreed that it was a “terrible decision on timing,” and said she was almost late picking up her child because of the backups.
Andrew Knudtson left Bath at 4 p.m. yesterday and it took him about an hour to get from Bath or Brunswick, he said.
Many people suggested the work should have been done overnight, or at least not throughout rush hour.
According to Merrill, the paving has to be done during the day because “cooler overnight temperatures would extend the total time it would take us to do this work.”
The state contractor for the paving job is All States Asphalt, Inc. of Richmond.
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