Maine Turnpike to air ramp closure

PORTLAND (AP) — The Maine Turnpike proposes closing a ramp to speed up reconstruction of the Presumpscot River Bridge.

The turnpike authority has scheduled a public meeting at its Portland headquarters Monday evening to discuss details of its plan.

The turnpike wants to close the Exit 52 on-ramp that carries traffic from the Falmouth Spur to the mainline of the turnpike in the northbound direction for 12 months. The northbound off-ramp and the southbound on-ramp at Exit 52 would remain open.

Engineers say closing the northbound on-ramp would allow the reconstruction of the Presumpscot River Bridge, which is located directly north of the ramp, to be conducted nine months faster, more safely and less expensively. The project is scheduled to begin next spring.