For nearly a decade, engineers, state planners and town officials have repeatedly walked, measured and calculated curbs, slopes and steps for an extensive downtown Houlton sidewalk project that will finally start on April 20.
Funded by Maine’s Department of Transportation, the $1.27 million project includes the reconstruction of sidewalks and pedestrian crossings on Market Square, Main Street, Water Street, and Broadway, according to DOT.
It’s been more than 30 years since the Aroostook County historic town had new walkways, and in that time many have fallen into disrepair, often creating a challenge for people in wheelchairs to navigate.
“That’s the question I get asked most: ‘When are the sidewalks getting repaired,’” Interim Town Manager Nancy Ketch said.
The project has been designed down to the centimeter, Ketch said during a Tuesday night public meeting about the project.
The downtown sidewalks project is a locally administered project through MaineDOT and requires a 20% match that town officials said will come from the downtown TIF infrastructure account.
The grant was initially awarded in 2016, said Ketch.
“I am thrilled we are finally getting it done,” she said.
After years of work and planning with Sewell Engineering, a request for contractor bids was posted in September, with bids opening in October. Out of the two bidders, J. McLaughlin Construction and Brown Construction, McLaughlin Construction netted the contract as the low bidder at $1,270,295.
Brown Construction’s bid was $1,439,890.
The project includes bituminous pavement, new granite curb, resetting existing granite curb, stamping and coloring sidewalk segments, some lighting resetting and relocating, new lighting, catch basin and storm drain installation, concrete work around trees and a concrete retaining wall, state transportation officials said.
Josh McLaughlin, owner of J. McLaughlin Construction, shared specific details with downtown business owners and residents at Tuesday’s meeting.
Everything is designed to Maine Department of Transportation specifications and meets all American with Disabilities Act standards, he said.
Essentially the project will be completed in two phases with Market Square in phase one to make sure it is completed before the town’s historically popular July 4 activities and to make sure the downtown community market is only disrupted for a week or two in early June, he said.
Planners have taken into consideration downtown business needs and they said that the biggest disruption may include only a parking space or two while they work.
“The streets are not being torn up like they were in the late 1980s when it was done,” McLaughlin said. “I see the biggest hurdle is losing some parking spaces while we are working.”
As a bonus, while they are working on Market Square, McLaughlin said they will set up a weekly raffle for downtown businesses and patrons. Customers can put their name and phone number on a ticket for a weekly drawing.
“Every week we will pick downtown businesses and give a $100 gift certificate to that business for customers,” McLaughlin said.
In addition to the DOT sidewalks project, Ketch said they also have congressionally directed spending for the Walkable Houlton Project that will replace other aging sidewalks in town, although the schedule has not been finalized.
McLaughlin is on a tight schedule, he said: phase one will be completed the week of June 22 and the entire project by the first week in August.
