MADAWASKA – A local contractor was the apparent low bidder Wednesday on two major road reconstruction projects in Madawaska and the Fort Kent-Wallagrass area.

Ed Pelletier and Sons Co. bid $2,036,498 on the East Main Street project at Madawaska. That amount was $163,060 less than a bid by McGillan Inc. of Fort Fairfield.

The Pinette Hill area project on Route 11, at the Fort Kent-Wallagrass town line, also was won by Pelletier with a bid of $2,245,034. Other bidders on that project were McGillan at $2,319,567 and BridgeCorp of Augusta at $2,879,283.

Both projects are expected to start within a month. The projects will run into the 2002 construction season.

The DOT said the overall cost of the Route 11 project was estimated at $3.1 million. It involves the reconstruction of about 2 miles of the highway, which is one of three main arteries in and out of Fort Kent. The section of road has not had major reconstruction since the 1930s.

The Pinette Hill area project involves about 11/2 miles within the town of Fort Kent, with the remaining half-mile in Wallagrass.

The reconstruction phase had an estimated price tag of $2.5 million. The project will be a full reconstruction job, including drainage to take care of serious water problems on the section of road.

Pinette Hill has a steep grade both north and south. The work will involve construction of truck-passing lanes in both directions. The bottom of the north side of Pinette Hill will be flattened somewhat, and the apex of the hill will be lowered about 10 feet.

The work will involve the control of runoff water, which has caused serious problems through the years.

The new road will have 12-foot-wide paved traveling lanes, and an extra 10-foot-wide passing lane on both sides of Pinette Hill.There are 55 homes in the 2-mile project area, and 17 school bus stops. Utility companies will be removing 76 utility poles and replacing them with 36 new poles.

At Madawaska, the total project cost also is about $3 million. It involves reconstruction of 1.1 miles of East Main Street, part of Route 1, from Acadia Street east to Gagnon Brook.

Curbing will be installed to control water runoff from a hill on the south side of the road. Reconstruction also involves the replacement of water and wastewater lines in the project area. Sidewalks will be constructed through most of the project.

State and federal money will pay up to 80 percent of the project. Local costs are for sewer and water mains and connections, and for the construction of sidewalks.

The town has acquired a Community Development Block Grant to assist the Madawaska Water District in its plan to install new 12-inch water mains along the project route. That part of the project has been estimated at $367,000.

The Madawaska Wastewater Department has more than $225,000 in reserve for its estimated $180,000 in reconstruction along the 1.1-mile route.