Residents and visitors alike who were strolling along the Brewer Riverwalk on Wednesday were looking forward to the waterfront walking path’s extension, which construction crews started working on this week.
Construction to lengthen the popular mile-long trail along the Penobscot River by 900 feet to the south began Monday, months before the work was expected to begin. The project is expected to wrap up on Sept. 20, according to the Maine Department of Transportation.
Many walkers on the trail Wednesday said they’re excited for the Riverwalk to lengthen because the path is already a safe, appealing resource for the region.
Rose Frick and Kevin MacLellan, both of Bangor, said they’ve walked their dogs along the Riverwalk for years rather than use Bangor’s waterfront path because they feel Brewer’s is cleaner, prettier and safer.
“Bangor’s is too short, and there’s no shade,” MacLellan said as he watched his dog wade in the Penobscot River on a small piece of beach off the Riverwalk. “It’s also beautiful and well taken care of, so kudos to Brewer’s Parks and Recreation Department.”
Sharyn Larkin of Orrington and Penny Gray of Brewer, who attended Bangor High School together, said they meet on the Brewer Riverwalk because it’s a quiet, peaceful place to talk.
“I love this side of the river because it feels safer and nicer, especially because you can walk in the evenings,” Larkin said, noting the lighting and security cameras that line the path. “We get to see lots of children and dogs when we come here, too. It’s a wonderful place to be.”
Gray said she appreciates how the Riverwalk meets standards outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, which makes it more accessible.
Monique Rouillier and Ginette Persico of Orlando, Florida, stopped in Brewer before heading to the Bangor airport to fly home after vacationing in Quebec. They said they saw people walking down the Riverwalk while they ate lunch at High Tide and decided to take a stroll.
“It’s beautiful. I can’t stop taking pictures,” Persico said. “It seems very safe and popular, so I think they should keep expanding it.”
This work is the third phase of the Riverwalk after the first section of the trail was completed in 2013, stretching from the south side of the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge to Hardy Street, by Mason’s Brewing Company. Since then, the trail has become a popular regional attraction and spurred economic development in the area.
Work on the Riverwalk’s first extension began in 2018. The addition, unveiled the next year, allowed the path to run through the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge to Veteran’s Park.
As with the rest of the Riverwalk, the new section of the 10-foot-wide walking path will be paved and have lighting, Wi-Fi, benches and trash cans.
Maine Earth, a Hampden-based contractor, is performing the work. The state and city will split the $578,547 cost.