Unitil Corporation announced that it will be replacing 3,000 feet of pipe on Gorham Road between the Nonesuch River near Ridgeway Road and Dragon Fly Drive in Scarborough, beginning this spring. Work is expected to last through the end of August and there should not be interruption to natural gas service. Courtesy photo

SCARBOROUGH — The next phase of the Gorham Road improvement project has begun. 

Gorham Road construction resumed on Aug. 1. Gorham Road (Route 114) will be under construction from Dragonfly Drive to Ridgeway Road. 

“Until completed their work to install a new natural gas line at the end of June, the next phase of the project is being carried out by the Town of Scarborough and Scarborough Sanitary District,” said Scarborough Public Works Interim Director and Deputy Stephen Buckley. “This will include the installation of a new forced sewer main as well as drainage improvements and the addition of a sidewalk.” 

Construction for the project will stop during the winter months and resume in spring 2023, he said.  

This will complete the roadway, drainage, curbing, and sidewalk improvement — replacement of the sanitary force main to relocate the existing utilities. 

This is an ongoing project; the sanitary sewer system is being upgraded within this portion of Route 114 and should be completed by late fall. This was part of an advanced plan for the Municipal Roadway Improvement Project, which is taking place along Gorham Road.

“The sewer work is anticipated to take the rest of the construction season, and the sidewalk, drainage, and final paving will occur in the spring of 2023,” said Buckley. “This work is being carried out by R.J. Grondin, who will aim to keep all delays to a minimum, but motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes.” 

The Town of Scarborough first announced the construction of the natural gas pipeline replacement project back on March 28. 

RH White Construction & Service Solutions replaced the Unitil natural gas pipeline from Maple Avenue to just beyond Ridgeway Road on Gorham Road. This work is a continuation of work that was conducted in 2019 on the section between Maple Avenue and U.S. Route 1. 

That project was similar to the work Unitil conducted in Scarborough several years ago. It is the second phase of work done in April 2021, when 3,000 feet of pipe were replaced. The previous project took place between Nonesuch River near Ridgeway Road and Dragon Fly Drive. Unitil also worked with Scarborough in 2018, where they replaced 5,600 feet of pipe on Gorham Road between Maple and Route 1. 

The estimated period for the project is three months.

For more information regarding the project, reach out to the Scarborough Public Works Department at https://www.scarboroughmaine.org/departments/public-works