April 1 marks the first day of work on two construction projects in Biddeford.
The South Street construction project is set to resume on Monday after being paused for the winter months. Crews will begin by working to replace infrastructure below the roadway on South Street between Quimby and Elm. Work between Dearborn Street and May Street will not resume until the State to Elm portion of the construction is substantially complete.
During construction, local residents will be allowed to travel to and from their homes on South Street and side streets that can only be accessed from South Street. Non-residential traffic should expect to be detoured and should follow all posted directional signage.
In order for the underground piping to be reconstructed in a quick and timely manner, parking will be prohibited in some areas of the street on weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Some additional Saturday work may be necessary to meet required time schedules, and any extra parking restrictions on these days will be posted. Cars that are parked in restricted areas may be towed.
When this major construction project is complete, residents will be able to experience the benefits of new sewer, storm drains, water mains, sidewalks, curbing, and a completely repaved street.
Work on the Main Street Sidewalk Project will also begin on April 1. During this project, sidewalks on both sides of Main Street between Elm Street and Adams Street will be demolished and replaced with new sidewalks. New lighting, landscaping, planters, and other street amenities will also be installed.
Access to Main Street businesses will not be affected during this project. Crews will be installing temporary aluminum ramps when the sidewalks are removed so that pedestrians can safely travel to the entrances of businesses.
Traffic will flow in both directions on Main Street as normal during the construction project. However, two-hour parking areas will be reduced to 15-minute parking in the construction zone area only to help crews complete construction in a timely manner.
“Our crews will make every effort to minimize any temporary inconvenience these projects may cause,” said Public Works Director Jeff Demers. “We thank all residents and business owners for their patience and understanding as we complete these improvements.”
Both of the construction projects are tentatively expected to be completed in July. For more information about construction on South Street or Main Street, please contact the City of Biddeford’s Public Works Department at 207-282-1579 or the Engineering Office at 207-284-9118.