AUGUSTA, Maine - Lawmakers have approved sending an $85 million bond to the voters in November for road and bridge repair and replacement.
The package drew broad bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. But Rep. Andrew McLean, a Gorham Democrat who co-chairs the Transportation Committee, says the measure would only partially address the back log of work at the Department of Transportation.
"We're significantly short every single year," McLean says. "The DOT's own work plan says that we are behind between $120 and $150 million every year."
Of particular concern is the backlog of work on bridges. The state is allocating about $70 million a year for repairs and replacement when its own study indicates Maine should be spending twice that amount every year. Mclean says Maine is over-relying on bonding for needed work.
