Turnpike project nearing a milestone

PORTLAND – With work crews painting traffic lanes at the northern end and paving under way on the southern end, the first major phase of the Maine Turnpike’s $135 million widening is expected to be done by the end of December.

The turnpike is being widened from four to six lanes between York and Scarborough.

Turnpike officials say a third lane of the 1.5-mile Scarborough section will open by mid-December and a third lane of the five-mile York-Wells section will open by the end of the year.

Line-painting in the Scarborough section is expected to be completed by the end of next week, but the third lane will remain closed as work continues on the Holmes Road bridge and on the highway’s side slopes.

“The contractor can do the work much more easily, safely and quickly if the third lane remains closed,” said Daniel Paradee, a Maine Turnpike Authority spokesman.

Voters at a statewide referendum approved the 30-mile widening in 1997.

“Each step is going to be an improvement,” said Dale Hanington, president of the Maine Motor Transport Association, which represents 1,500 trucking companies and related businesses. “We’re looking forward to the time when the third lane is open the whole length, from York to Scarborough.”

Work on central sections of the widening area is expected to continue through the winter, including three bridges in the Scarborough-Saco area.

The Holmes Road overpass, which has been closed to traffic for several months, is scheduled to reopen by the end of the year, said Scott Warchol, a turnpike widening coordinator.