Staff Writer
The preferred path for a connecting road between U.S. Route 1 and state Route 161 may be identified by early next year, according to local and state officials.
Graphic courtesy of VHB Associates
Three proposed paths are being considered for a connecting road between U.S. Route 1 and Route 161. Costs for the proposed construction range from $14 million to $30 million. One preferred route is expected to be identified early next year.
Three alternatives to building a road between the two major arteries to alleviate downtown truck traffic in the city and reduce travel time are being considered. In addition, a 26-mile portion of Route 161 between Caribou and Cross Lake Township is being analyzed by federal and state officials.
The work is part of the transportation study began several years ago by the Maine Department of Transportation in answer to complaints from County residents and businesses that an extension of Interstate 95 was needed from Houlton to the St. John Valley. Better roads are needed for revived economic activities, proponents have claimed.
As the study progressed, it was broken down into 11 sections. Transportation officials are working toward the permitting stage for three of the segments, two of which are in Caribou. The third section is a proposed Presque Isle bypass.
Focusing on the three sections will provide the “most immediate benefits and the most traffic flow,” according to Ray Faucher, DOT project manager.
When a preferred route is selected for the Route 1-161 connection, local officials plan to request a meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Maine DOT, according to Steven Buck, city manager. There are local concerns that one of the options could affect several businesses at the intersection of Route 1, Route 89 and Bennett Drive.
The meeting would be in the form of a public forum as opposed to a public hearing, where the audience’s comments are accepted, but no response is required from the study officials.
“This forum will provide for a two-way exchange in order to receive (immediate) answers to questions,” said Buck.
State transportation officials have studied three alternate routes to link Route 1 and Route 161. The new road would initially be a two-lane version, with the highway eventually being upgraded to four lanes, according to study officials.
All three options begin with road improvements where the road intersects with High Street and continue up Route 1 past Cary Medical Center. New construction of about 5.5 miles would proceed in a westerly direction and end on Route 161 near the Ogren Road.
Construction costs range from $14 million to $31 million in 2007 dollars, according to a presentation given last month in Caribou.
Maine DOT is working with the Army Corps to prepare a draft permit application to evaluate the remaining options. Once the least environmentally damaging option is identified, then officials can proceed to the final plan and construction, Faucher explained.
The Corps issues the final construction permit when all requirements are met, according to federal guidelines. In addition, approvals are needed from the Federal Highway Administration and Maine environmental officials.
Officials also are considering upgrading Route 161 at a potential cost of $60 million as part of the overall transportation study. The 26-mile project would improve an area of roadway that is “in the poorest condition in the study area,” according to documents.
“Upgrading Route 161 will improve travel to Madawaska and Fort Kent for truck driver and tourists, serving users such as Fraser Papers in Madawaska and the Maine Winter Sports Complex in Fort Kent,” the draft study summary said.
The road would continue to be two lanes, but include climbing lanes, according to the study. Additional funds would be expended to buy land and structures for the road’s right of way.
In a related event, state transportation officials have filed this week an application to fill in about a one-half acre of wetlands and stream bottoms in connection with the Route 161 upgrade. According to a news release by the Army Corps, the project is related to the reconstruction project.
DOT’s Faucher said that the goal of the entire transportation study is to have the final proposal done by fall of next year, with groundwork potentially to start in Caribou in 2009. Between $40 million and $50 million has been earmarked for construction through legislation, sponsored by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.
