The on-ramp that carries eastbound Western Avenue traffic over Interstate 95 in Augusta will be closed staring Monday for about 30 days.
The Maine Department of Transportation says the closure is part of a project to replace the 70-year-old Western Avenue Bridge with one that will follow a similar path.
Drivers on Monday will have three detour options:
- Continue down Western Avenue to Meadow Road/Fuller Road to reverse direction and get on the interstate from the westbound side;
- Continue down Western Avenue and turn right on Senator Way, then left on Crossing Way, to loop around to get to the westbound ramp;
- Those who are headed south on the interstate can take a right onto Whitten Road and use a new connector to the southbound interstate ramp.
Work will expand on Monday, Nov. 18, when the southbound interstate exit ramp at Exit 109B will be closed.
Once a new bridge is built, it will provide additional clearance on the interstate and will include new sidewalks along Western Avenue and Whitten Road to improve pedestrian safety.
The project costs about $30 million and the contractor is Reed & Reed of Woolwich.