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PORTLAND – Work is scheduled to begin today on the final phase of the five-year Maine Turnpike widening project.

Workers will begin clearing trees and blasting ledge in the 5.8-mile stretch between Exit 3 in Kennebunk and Exit 4 in Biddeford. That is the last stretch of highway south of Portland that has yet to be widened from four to six lanes.

The third lanes in both directions are expected to be open to traffic by October or November.

Turnpike officials said motorists should be prepared for traffic delays during the widening.

Daniel Paradee, spokesman for the Maine Turnpike Authority, said he expects the delays to be worse than in the last two years.

“That’s a busy section of the highway,” Paradee said. “Our engineers are telling us there will be five- to 10-minute backups.”

The Turnpike Authority will not allow lane closures during rush hours or on weekends. But northbound lanes may be closed on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Southbound closures will be allowed weekdays from dawn to 3 p.m.

Daytime lane closures will be prohibited from April until the end of summer to accommodate the summer crowds, Paradee said.

The affected stretch of the toll road should present relatively few problems for construction crews, Paradee said. For the first time over the course of the project, there are no bridges to widen and no major rerouting of the turnpike will be necessary.

This is the final year of the 30-mile, $136-million widening project. Workers have been expanding the highway in sections from York to Exit 6A in Scarborough.

Besides added lanes, the project adds wider shoulders, 18 rebuilt bridges and a new guardrail system.