Brewer’s State Street to be resurfaced this summer

BREWER, Maine — State Street in Brewer will get a much-needed resurfacing this spring, but much of the work should take place during the evening and night to avoid snarling up traffic during peak hours, according to the city engineer.

During a meeting Tuesday night, city councilors authorized an agreement with the Maine Department of Transportation to move forward and free up funding for the city’s share of the project.

DOT estimates the project will cost about $580,000 to complete, according to City Engineer Frank Higgins. The Bangor Area Comprehensive Transportation System will fund the bulk of the project, with Brewer pitching in 10 percent.

The road will be milled and new pavement laid down from the Penobscot Bridge to the intersection with Wilson Street, except for a short stretch from Eastern Avenue to Mullen Way, which recently was upgraded and resurfaced.

Higgins said he expects DOT and the city to work with the railroad to fix the rough rail crossing at the bottom of the hill near the Penobscot Bridge, “which we all love,” Higgins said. The crossing has been known to rattle drivers’ teeth.

“We’re strongly encouraging [DOT] to do the milling and paving at night,” to avoid having to shut down the heavily traveled roadway during busy hours.

He said residents in the neighborhood likely will have to contend with some noise issues during the roadwork. The project is scheduled to start in May and wrap up in June, according to Higgins.

A copyright article from The Bangor Daily News by Nick McCrea.