AUGUSTA — Work on a major reconstruction project on a heavily-traveled section of Western Avenue is expected to resume Tuesday.

Contractors on the state Department of Transportation project have been working since September 2013 to reconstruct a half-mile section of Western Avenue from Prescott Road to Edison Drive. The $3.8 million project was initially expected to be done in August of last year, but delays in the complex project, which has included rebuilding the road surface and placing utility wires and new gas, sewer and water lines underground alongside the travel lanes, resulted in its expected completion being rescheduled until the end of June.

The majority of work was completed last construction season, but remaining work to be done this season, starting Tuesday, includes completion of curbing and guardrail installation, sidewalk construction and paving, loaming and seeding of lawns, installation of raised median islands, and installation of a final layer of pavement, according to a news release from the state transportation department.

At times, particularly at night, the work will involve one-way, alternating traffic. Multiple alternating lanes will be kept open during peak commuter hours, according to the DOT.

R.J. Grondin & Sons, of Gorham, is the contractor on the job.

The section of road is heavily used by commuters with some 23,000 motorists traveling through it daily, according to DOT data.

Officials have said delays on the project have been caused by a number of factors, including harsh weather, the discovery and removal of more underground ledge than was expected, and a slower than anticipated process moving overhead utility lines to new poles alongside the new wider travel lanes. Moving the overhead utility lines was necessary to make way for the new wider road and new turning lanes installed as part of the project.


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