Comments due on I-395 route 2 options remain for connector

HOLDEN – Residents interested in commenting on which route they prefer to connect Interstate 395 with State Route 9, a major east-west link between the Canadian Maritimes and the Bangor area, have until Friday to express their views.

The Maine Department of Transportation has requested a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to fill in wetlands affected by construction of a two-lane, limited-access highway to ease traffic in the Eddington-Holden-Brewer area.

The Army Corp is currently reviewing two alternatives – 2B-2 and 3EIK-2 – and is accepting public comments, along with suggestions and recommendations for potential wetland mitigation opportunities, until Friday.

“These suggestions will be provided to the applicant [DOT] as the agencies determine which measures are practical and serve to help mitigate the project’s unavoidable impacts to aquatic resources,” an Army Corps press release states.

The 3EIK-2 route would extend I-395 by almost 2 miles along the southern side of U.S. Route 1A in Holden before turning northward and winding through mostly unpopulated areas until crossing Route 9, circumventing East Eddington and reconnecting to Route 9 at the Eddington-Clifton town line.

The 10.6-mile 3EIK-2 route could affect 43.2 acres of wetlands and would displace two homes.

The 2B-2 route would extend I-395 at its current Wilson Street junction and roughly follow the Holden-Brewer lines on the Brewer side, until entering Eddington and connecting with 4.5 miles of improvements to Route 9.

The 10.7-mile 2B-2 alternative could affect 48.3 acres of 21 wetlands and would displace 22 homes. Eleven of those homes are on the planned road and 11 are on the rebuilt Route 9.

The debate over the connector route has been going on for four years. When I-395 was extended to Brewer and the Veterans Memorial Bridge was constructed, much of the truck traffic that had used Route 9 in Eddington to connect from Canada to Brewer started using Route 46 as a connector, which prompted residents to request an alternative route be built.

Maps of 2B-2 and 3EIK-2 and a matrix that compares the two routes are available at ww.nae.usace.army.mil. Once at the Army Corps’ Web site, click on “Regulatory/Permitting” and then “Public Notices” to find the maps.

Comments should be marked with the permit request number, File No. NAE-2004-2472, and can be made by letter or e-mail until the end of the workday Sept. 17.

Letters can be mailed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Maine Project Office, Attn.: Jay Clement, 675 Western Ave. No. 3, Manchester 04351. E-mail comments can be sent to jay.l.clement@usace.army.mil.