A SIGN along Maine Street in Brunswick warns motorists to expect delays once work begins on a road reconfiguration project around First Parish Church on Monday.
It’s that time again, as evidenced by flashing traffic signs on Maine Street and Bath Road announcing delays beginning Monday and continuing throughout the summer in various parts of town.
First up is McKeen Street between Maine and Spring streets, which will be closed all day Monday while crews for the Brunswick-Topsham Water District install a new water line, according to John Foster, director of the Brunswick Department of Public Works.
During the next two to three weeks, that project will close sections of Union Street as well.
Also on Monday, Harry C. Crooker & Sons crews will move a large milling machine to the area around First Parish Church on Maine Street, in preparation for a major road reconfiguration to begin in earnest the following day.
The traffic reconfiguration around the church has been years in the making.
Citing high crash rates at three intersections in the area, the Maine Department of Transportation for decades sought an alternative to the traffic triangle formed around the church by the convergence of Bath Road, Maine Street and what is referred to as No Name Street.
Various plans fizzled after “stakeholders” — the church, Bowdoin College and others — declined to sign off. However, parties reached agreement last year on the current scenario, some components of which have already been completed.
Drivers should expect significant delays and look for alternate routes as crews grind the top few inches of pavement down on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to Foster.
“They think they can do it in two days,” he said of the grinding, but more road work will continue through June 15, the project’s required completion date.
bbrogan@timesrecord.com
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