After four years of navigating construction zones both on and below the I-295 bridges in Yarmouth, motorists will soon drive smoothly when repairs to the overpass are completed.

The project is on track to be completed on or before Nov. 1, said Brittany Roberts, marketing specialist for Maine Department of Transportation. Over the course of construction — which began in December 2021 and is scheduled to be completed in November 2025 — traffic on the interstate was periodically reduced to a single lane in each direction, with occasional brief full closures at night.

On the northbound and southbound bridges, the project repaired hairline cracks on the decks of the bridges, rust along the beams and bearings, fracturing of the concrete surface and exposed rebar on the piers and columns, and delaminated concrete. The bridge project was funded by a $27.6 million federal grant at no cost to the town.

While the work on the I-295 bridges is “substantially complete,” contractors will install rumble strips and any other final tasks in single lane night closures before November, said Roberts.

The contractor, CPM Constructors, is now focused on completing road maintenance of Route 1, which runs underneath the bridges. Drainage was installed and the contractor is currently excavating the existing roadway and replacing the gravel. Next week, both Route 1 and the on and off ramps to the southbound I-295 will be paved overnight.

Following the paving, final project steps for Route 1 will include granite curb installation, electrical work, and constructing an addition to the Beth Condon Memorial Pathway, which currently ends on Route 1 south of Exit 17. The extended shared-use path will connect the existing path to Cousins River Bridge, allowing pedestrians to safely access more of Yarmouth and reach the entrance to the Yarmouth Visitor Center and Day’s Crabmeat and Lobster.