BREWER — After years of construction and planning, the 6-mile stretch of roadway connecting I-395 to Route 9 opened to the public Friday.
Maine DOT and Sargent said the connector is open to traffic as of Friday afternoon.
Members of the Maine Department of Transportation, project contractors and local representatives marked the occasion with a ribbon-cutting Friday morning.
The Maine DOT said the $107 million project will eliminate the need for drivers to use routes 1A, 46 and 9, ease congestion and streamline travel between Canada and Maine’s economic markets in Bangor and Brewer.
“It’s called a connector for a reason; it connects two highways that obviously should be connected. But it’s [also] a connection of countries,” said Bruce Van Note, commissioner of the Maine DOT. “This is central to our connections to Canada. It’s also a connection to commerce, for the same reasons all the way through. It allows a connection to communities.”
Van Note said it will also help connect Mainers in the area to important resources like healthcare.
“Whether you’re an expectant mother Downeast that needs to get to Bangor a little quicker, or a senior or something like that, you don’t have to worry about where you’re going or how you’ll get there,” said Van Note. “You’ve just cut minutes off that and those can be important minutes.”
The new road is built for 55 mile-per-hour travel and includes five bridges, two snowmobile crossings and several wildlife and stream crossings.
The road was designed by Maine DOT engineers and awarded to Sargent in 2022.
“My own personal hope, my dream, a goal, is that we don’t stop building connections like this throughout our state,” said Eric Ritchie, president of the Sargent Corporation. “This connection opening — this is big for folks in Washington County.”
But the planning stage has been in the works for much longer.
“The first conversation about this project started about 1998,” said Van Note. “Yes, 1998. If nothing, we persevere. It started with a lot of planning and conversations and sighting.”
Maine DOT calls it the “missing link” between rural and city communities in the region, and transportation experts said it will help make communities safer.
“By diverting trucks away from local roads, this new connector directly addresses the concerns we identified so long ago,” said Belle Ryder, executive director of the Bangor Area Comprehensive Transportation System. “It makes our neighborhoods and downtowns safer and more accessible for residents, businesses and visitors alike.”
Speakers Friday said the roadway will better serve the shipment of goods and support the region’s economy.
“Our truckers move Maine’s economy, and this connector will be a vital tool in getting that job done on time.” Brian Parke, president and CEO of the Maine Motor Transport Association. “This connector and Route 9 are a lifeline connecting Maine with Atlantic Canada and Maine’s Downeast region.”
And community leaders said they’re excited for what the future holds.
“I think it’s going to be very exciting,” said Eric Glidden, Brewer city manager. “Not just for the city of Brewer, but really for the greater Bangor region, and Downeast Maine, and over into Atlantic Canada.”