BANGOR, Maine — Ongoing wintry weather has led to another delay, city officials said Friday.
The project was initially scheduled to begin on Sunday, March 26, however, temperatures became too cold to continue the work safely so construction was put off until Sunday, April 2.
Work on the $1.6 million upgrade now is expected to begin on Sunday, April 9, weather permitting.
Despite the delay, the scope of the project remains the same, city officials said.
Construction will begin on Hammond Street near the Kenduskeag Stream Bridge. The project area includes the intersection of Hammond, Main and Central streets in the city’s downtown.
The work area will extend roughly 1,000 feet up Hammond Street, ending near the location of the former Bangor YMCA building at 127 Hammond St.
The project will have a significant impact on traffic patterns in Downtown Bangor, with traffic detours required. In addition, parking will be limited on Hammond Street. The project will be complete in early September 2017, but city officials hope it will take less time. Work is expected to be done from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. to limit traffic snags.
City officials said earlier this month that the water and sewer work involves replacing a more than 150-year-old sewer main and installing storm drains, catch basins, sewer manholes, a water main, hydrants, water services and new electrical and communication infrastructure.
Traffic will be rerouted over side streets or limited to one lane of Hammond Street, though the one-lane phase of the project is not set to begin for several weeks. Motorists should plan on commutes over those streets to take several minutes longer than usual, Theriault said earlier this month.