Traffic alerts for High Street, Interstate 295 (Park Ave. on-ramp is opening!)

Lots of traffic alerts to put in front of you folks — including the exciting grand reopening of the Park Avenue on-ramp to Interstate 295. But first, from the city of Portland, about tomorrow’s High Street work:

Tomorrow between the hours of 5 a.m. and 2 p.m., High Street will be reduced to one outbound lane from Congress Street to Cumberland Avenue to allow for construction work at the Eastland Hotel. Motorists should expect traffic and are advised to seek alternate routes. Remember to please share the road.

And some things from the Maine Department of Transportation about I-295, which has been an obstacle course for years now.

First, from Freeport to Brunswick:

Overnight paving work on I-295 from Freeport to Brunswick begins Sunday evening, August 19th.

Crews will pave I-295 beginning at the Cousis River in Freeport heading north to Exit 28 in Brunswick as well as the same area southbound. This work will be done primarily near Exits 22, 24 and 28 and will require single lane traffic through the work zones.

The Exit 22 off-ramp and Exit 24 on-ramp will be closed from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

It is anticipated that this work, being performed by Pike Industries, will be completed in the overnight hours on Wednesday, August 22nd.

And finally, the long awaited on-ramp opening:

Summer motorists will find Portland slightly easier to navigate when the Interstate 295 northbound on-ramp at Park Avenue re-opens during daylight hours beginning Monday, August 20, according to Maine DOT.A second on-ramp, from Congress Street to I-295 northbound, is also scheduled to reopen by August 31, which will ease the number of vehicles using alternate routes to I-295 northbound.

The two on-ramps were closed last March as mild spring weather allowed construction crews to gain an early start on this year’s $7.9 million Interstate 295 bridge rehabilitation project.

Drivers are urged to visit MaineDOT’s website at mainedot.gov for more details including maps, updates, and to sign up for email alerts. The website also features eight webcams, updated every five minutes, offering both northbound and southbound views of I-295. Motorists can now check for possible traffic congestion before they head out onto the Interstate.

While highway work is always weather dependent, MaineDOT estimates that the remaining I-295 bridge work will be completed in September and night paving operations will finish in October.

MaineDOT appreciates the patience of all motorists during this construction period, and also asks motorists to drive safely through all work zones.

Seth Koenig

About Seth Koenig

Seth has nearly a decade of professional journalism experience and writes about the greater Portland region.