Late-night drivers passing through Ellsworth’s main thoroughfares can expect to encounter road work from now through the end of August.
The Maine Department of Transportation is repaving High Street, Myrick Street and portions of routes 1 and 3 where they diverge from each other near the Hancock and Trenton town lines, according to Ellsworth officials. Work will take place in phases nightly between 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Road projects in Maine typically occur in the summer, when millions of visitors flock to the state on vacation. Such projects sometimes can lead to congestion and delays in high-traffic areas such as High Street, which carries nearly all of the summertime vehicle traffic that is headed to Acadia National Park. By scheduling work on the Ellsworth project to take place at night, officials are hoping to minimize delays caused by the re-paving.
The first phase of work will involve lowering surface infrastructure such as drains and utility access covers, which may create some noise, city officials said on Facebook. After that, work crews will grind down the existing pavement and then will repave the roads.
Crews also will repave a portion of State Street near the Downeast Family YMCA, city officials said. Along the High Street corridor, work will extend from the intersection of Church and Oak streets — just north of the High and Maine streets intersection — and extend south to Pat’s Pizza on Route 3 and to Darling’s Auto Mall on Route 1.
Work began on Sunday evening, Ellsworth officials said.
“The project will begin near the Ellsworth YMCA on State Street and progress south in phases,” city officials said. “Drivers are urged to use extra caution at night while work is ongoing.”
