HOULTON, Maine – A major road improvement project, more than a decade in the making, is now coming to fruition.
Foxcroft Road is slated for reconstruction this fall thanks to a collaborative effort between the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, town of Houlton, Maine Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The Maliseets held a ceremonial ground-breaking for the project with state, federal and local leaders on Sept. 9 to commemorate the reconstruction.
Foxcroft Road is a state aid road shared with the town that is maintained by the Maine Department of Transportation and the town of Houlton. Reconstruction of the road has been on the Maliseets’ radar since 2014, when the Tribe met with state and federal officials to discuss improvements to the road, which serves a major thoroughfare for tribal citizens.
“This project is something we have been anticipating for some time now,” explained Tribal Chief Clarissa Sabattis. “We felt that it was important for our community to have a safer way to walk and I can’t wait to see it completed. It will change the lives for many of our elders and families who traverse this road.”
The project was possible thanks to a $15 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant. The grant covered costs of engineering, surveys, design, right of way appraisals and acquisition, legal and administration.
According to Tribal Engineer Brian Stewart, a 4.45-mile stretch of Foxcroft Road will be completely rebuilt, from Military Street to the Littleton town line. The existing road, which is 22-feet wide pavement with a 2-3-foot wide gravel shoulder, will be about 4-feet wider, with paved shoulders to allow for greater bicycle access.
In addition, a sidewalk on the westerly side of the Foxcroft Road will be added beginning at Military Street and continuing to the north boundary of Maliseet Riverside Village, for a total length of just under three miles.
Snow removal along the sidewalk is still being discussed between the town and HBMI. According to Stewart, the Tribe has agreed to fund or perform winter maintenance on the sidewalk, depending on which option the town prefers.
Brenda Redwing of the Bureau of Indian Affairs/Rural Transportation was one of several invited guests for the ceremony and praised the tribe for its efforts to get the project off the ground.
“It is such an honor to be here,” she said. “It is a project we have been working together on for years and it is so nice to see that it is finally going to be constructed. I can envision the improvements to safety, which are so needed here.”
Redwing added one of the strongest selling points for the tribe receiving the grant was seeing a photograph of a mother trying to push a baby stroller along the gravel breakdown lane of the Foxcroft Road.
“To me this project is all about safety,” she said. “It will be a much safer road for the entire community.”
The Right of Way process included 123 unique parcels of record based on the town of Houlton’s Assessors Maps. Easements for right-of-way, grading, drainage or slopes were required for nearly all of these parcels, which has involved over 80 individual landowners, Stewart said.
Sabattis praised Stewart for his “tireless efforts” to see it come to fruition.
“I am really proud of all the work Brian has done to get this project off the ground,” she said. “It has taken so much effort to get to where we are at now.”
Houlton’s Interim Town Manager Nancy Ketch said she was pleased the town has been able to collaborate with the tribe throughout the planning process.
“This really has been a long-time coming,” she said. “We are so appreciative of being able to partner with you on this project. It’s a huge project that will affect so many in the community.”
Initial construction will begin in October, with the work this season consisting of setup, clearing and utility location. The excavation, drainage and grading will commence in early spring 2027 and continue until winter shutdown in 2027. Finished paving and surface restoration will resume in spring of 2028, with completion scheduled for July of 2028.
The current contract for the major portion of construction came in at just over $12 million, with additional bidding expected this winter for a bridge at Smith Brook, included on the route. The existing Cook’s Brook Bridge was designated for replacement by the Maine Department of Transportation, and is scheduled for construction in 2028, Stewart added.
