LEWISTON — Residents will get a closer look at plans to rework the area around Exit 80 this week.
Representatives from the Maine Turnpike Authority will be on hand from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1, at the Ramada Inn in Lewiston to explain the latest version of their plans.
Spokesman Scott Tompkins said the authority’s plan now calls for a three-phase project beginning in 2011.
The first phase would build a new northbound onramp in the interchange’s northeastern quadrant. The existing southbound onramp would be rebuilt and reconfigured.
The second phase would focus on reconfiguring the northbound and southbound offramps. The final phase, due to be completed in 2013, would rebuild the bridge carrying Plourde Parkway over the turnpike and redirect all of the onramp and offramp traffic through a traffic signal.
The state Department of Transportation could schedule a round of improvements along Lisbon Street once the interchange work is completed.
So far, turnpike officials are estimating the work would cost $22 million. That would be split between the turnpike authority and the transportation department. The turnpike authority has set aside $17.5 million and the transportation department $5 million.
The work replaces plans for a downtown interchange that had been proposed near the river — either building new interchanges on River Road in Lewiston, on Route 136 north of the turnpike in Auburn or on both sides of the river.
A study by the Androscoggin Transportation Resource Center found that a new interchange wouldn’t be faster no matter where it was located.
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