Dempsey Challenge traffic advisory

The inaugural Dempsey Challenge will depart from Simard-Payne Police Memorial Park in Lewiston on Sunday morning, with century cyclists starting at 8 a.m., followed by waves of 50-mile riders, 25-mile riders, 10-mile riders and 5K participants. An estimated 1,500 people will be participating on bikes, and another 2,000 people on the run/walk course.

The cyclists and runners are expected to create traffic tie-ups in the downtown areas of Lewiston and Auburn throughout the morning. Motorists should expect delays and detours.

The entire 5K run/walk course will be closed between 8 and 10 a.m. Runners will begin in Lewiston on Beech Street, turn right on Oxford Street, left on Chestnut Street, cut through Kennedy Park to Bates and turn left along Birch Street before heading into the back entrance to the Lewiston High School athletic fields.

Runners will then move along the school's cross-country trails and pick up Adams Avenue, turn right on Lisbon Street, left on Cedar Street across to Auburn over the Bernard Lown Peace Bridge, right on Mill Street, right on Main Street, right to Newbury Street and cross the railroad trestle bridge to finish at Simard-Payne park. 

Motorists should expect minor delays in the bike staging area on Lewiston's Lincoln and Oxford streets and along the various bike routes between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. Downtown Lisbon Street traffic will be detoured to East Avenue, Webster Street and Sabattus Street.

For a period of an hour or more, perhaps as much as a couple of hours, a section of the downtown Millhouse District will be completely closed to all traffic, specifically a block radius around Knox and Birch streets. Police request that residents and guests of this neighborhood make plans in advance to avoid using their vehicles, and all motorists are asked to follow efforts by police to re-direct traffic flow to accommodate this event. 

In Auburn, Broad Street from Lown Bridge to Mill Street, including the bridge, will be closed from 8 to 11 a.m. Mill Street from Broad to South Main Street will also be closed during that time, but access to Rolly's and Happy Days diners will be permitted.

Northbound traffic heading into Auburn on Riverside Drive will be detoured up Brook Street to Second Street between 8 and 9 a.m. Dunn Street from Riverside Drive to Second will be closed between 8 and 9 a.m., and alternating one-way traffic on Main Street between Florian's Market and Mill Street will be permitted between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. Laurel Avenue at Newbury Street and a portion of Newbury Street will also be closed between 8:30 and 11 a.m.  

There will be no parking permitted on either side of Main Street from Florian's Market to Mill Street, and from the corner of Main to 38 Newbury St., beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday. Cars will be towed at owners' expense Sunday.

High bike traffic areas throughout the day will be along Old Danville Road in Auburn between 8:15 and 9:15 a.m., Empire Road between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m., and all day along Kittyhawk Road and Lewiston Junction Road. No roads outside the Lewiston-Auburn area will be completely closed during this event, as cyclists leave Simard-Payne Park and head out Riverside Drive. They will turn right on Penley Corner Road/Harmons Corner Road before splitting up on various routes:

• Those participating in the 10-mile ride will return to Simard-Payne along Broad Street;

• The 25-mile cyclists will head out old Danville and Hotel roads to East Poland and Minot before returning along Hardscrabble Road, routing their way to Broad Street before crossing back to the park in Lewiston;

• The 50-mile cyclists will travel out to Poland Spring along Carpenter Road and Ledge Hill Road, through West Poland and Mechanic Falls before returning back to the L-A area along Elm Street and Harris Hill Road;

• The 100-mile riders will travel much of the same route as the 50-milers, but will include a loop around Long Lake through Naples, Bridgton, Harrison and Casco and around Thompson Lake in Oxford before returning to the L-A area.

Organizers urge people to avoid areas where roads will be closed, and to use caution when encountering cyclists and runners on all courses throughout the day. 

For complete bike course maps, go to www.dempseychallenge.org and scroll to the bottom of the page.