State road work, transit projects, announced

What’s on tap for transportation projects in Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach for 2020. Courtesy Image

Road work, a planning study and infrastructure improvements at Biddeford Airport are projects planned by the Department of Transportation for Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach this season. As well, the DOT has earmarked local and federal funds for new buses and trolleys to boost the public transit system.

Sens. Justin Chenette and Susan Deschambault, who represent Senate Districts 31 and 32 respectively, announced local projects included in the DOT’s three-year plan. The two senators focused on what is on tap for 2020.

The DOT released the three-year work plan in January. The plan includes all capital projects and programs, maintenance and operations activities, planning initiatives, and administrative functions for the next three years. DOT officials said the plan contains 2,051 individual work items statewide, with a total value of $2.59 billion, consisting principally of work to be delivered or coordinated through the DOT, but also including funding and work by other transportation agencies including airports and transit agencies.

DOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note in a letter included in the work plan, said it is essentially a two-year plan, spread over three years, for a variety of reasons.

“This year is not typical. Due to cost increases arising from workforce challenges, work constraints, and other factors, making the old projects whole has required an extraordinary amount of funding,” said Van Note. “Therefore, even though total estimated funding will increase (largely due to increased levels of federal competitive grant funds), higher unit costs will yield substantially lower levels of capital project production in terms of miles of paving, numbers of bridges, etc. Accordingly, this work plan largely consists of spreading what used to be two years of capital projects over three years to stay within funding and cost constraints.”

Here is what the DOT plans for Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach:

BIDDEFORD

For Biddeford, there’s overlay work to be done on Precourt Street, starting at Route 1 and extending east 0.32 miles to Landry Street, for a projected cost of $269,000.

The DOT has estimated $390,000 for a project on Route 9 from Alfred Street, extending 0.17 miles to Water Street.

Biddeford also figures into $3.8 million of work planned for Route 111 that also includes Arundel, Lyman and Alfred.

According to the work plan, $309,000 has been set aside for safety and infrastructure improvements at Biddeford Airport, which could also include an update to the airport master plan.

OLD ORCHARD BEACH

The DOT has included $50,000 for planning studies for the intersection of Route 98 and Ross Road.

SACO

A “mill and fill” project, estimated at $185,000, is planned for Maple Street, beginning at Lincoln Street and extending 0.37 miles to Bradley Street.

All three communities are included in transit funding. The DOT has included $1.1 million in urban transit capital for the Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach Transit Committee under the Federal Transit Administration for new trolleys and $1.3 million in FTA funding for new buses and bus facilities. The DOT has earmarked $474,000 for vehicle replacement for the agency.

As well, the DOT listed money allocated to each of the three communities for fiscal year 2020 local road assistance: Biddeford, $202,896; Saco $228,232; and Old Orchard Beach, $58,360.

“Our transportation infrastructure needs to keep up with the population growth of our area,” said Chenette. “Improvements are being made to ease the headaches and increase the safety of local residents that live here year-round.”

“It is always good news to hear what the Department of Transportation has planned for our part of York County,” said Deschambault. “I encourage you to review their plans in more detail online if you are interested.”