On May 28, a culvert failure on Scottow Hill Road necessitated that the town close the road between Payne Road and Two Rod Road. While the decision to close the road was straightforward, the plan on how and when to resolve it is less so.

The failed culvert on Scottow Hill Road serves Beaver Brook, a tidal stream connected to Scarborough Marsh. Construction activities that take place within tidal waters in Maine are carefully regulated to protect sensitive habitats and species. The activities fall under the oversight of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which sets specific timeframes for when work can occur.

Because of the road’s proximity to the marsh — which is both tidal and a significant habitat for protected species — the approved construction window is limited to between Nov. 8 and April 9. Limiting work to the colder months reduces potential impacts on wildlife during their active and breeding seasons. A waiver or exemption from these regulations is not possible. The town must plan any construction during the November-to-April window to protect the health of the marsh ecosystem.

In the meantime, town staff are working diligently to evaluate two primary options for Scottow Hill Road. One option is to replace the failed culverts and maintain the roadway as it has been.

Another option is to remove the culverts and restore Beaver Brook. This considers that the road is in an environmentally sensitive area as the town looks to the future of vulnerable infrastructure.

Both options present their own challenges. Replacing the failed culverts will be expensive. Preliminary estimates suggest as much as $3 million, as four existing culverts will need to be replaced with a larger concrete box culvert for larger capacity and long-term resilience. Because the culvert failure occurred after the current municipal budget had already been approved, no funding was allocated for the project. Without a funding source, construction on the replacement is unlikely to begin until fall 2026, with funds allocated in next year’s budget and within the approved construction window.

Closing Scottow Hill Road would be the least expensive option both upfront and in the long run. It would allow for Beaver Brook to return to a natural condition and eliminate the need to maintain vulnerable infrastructure. As a part of this option, the town has applied for a grant that would cover the cost of this approach. However, town staff are sensitive to the inconvenience of eliminating a through-connection and are working to understand the potential traffic impacts from the permanent closure of that portion of Scottow Hill Road.

At the current time, no decision has been made. Any decision will ultimately be made by the Town Council following a public process. As always, the town will seek to balance prudent financial spending, environmental conservation, and resiliency planning, as well as preserving our ever-important traffic thoroughfares.

Stay tuned for updates on the town’s website, social media and by subscribing to the town’s newsletter.

Allison Carrier is marketing and communications manager for Scarborough. She can be reached at acarrier@scarboroughmaine.org.