State Transportation Commissioner Bruce Van Note says cost increases, labor shortages, and supply chain problems have disrupted schedules in some of the state's major transportation projects, including the Interstate 295 bridge replacement over Veranda Street in Portland. That project was due to begin later this month, but has been postponed until next spring. Van Note says once the project is underway it will require closing the highway, but it will be completed in just 4 days over a long weekend.
"If you accelerate and minimize impacts its supported by the public more than months long lane closures. More expensive to do it this way but it minimizes impacts to the traveling public," Van Note says.
No new date has been set for the project. Van Note says a drop of nearly 50% in traffic during the pandemic resulted in a 40% decrease in revenue for the department, but the state made up the difference with bonds and reserves from the general fund. Van Note says the DOT is hopeful the federal bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill passes to boost funding for Maine projects and address cost increases.
