AVON – Since late May, traffic has been rerouted away from downtown Avon while a bridge on Route 4 in town has been closed for major revamping by the Maine Department of Transportation.

The bridge closure is part of a major improvement project to repave, realign and widen a four-mile stretch of Route 4 between Strong and Phillips.

Avon business owners say that as traffic is flagged away from town on routes 145 and 149 in Strong, so are dollars.

On Wednesday though, MDOT announced that schedules for the $3.8 million project would be juggled around a bit.

The move, said MDOT project manager Heath Cowan, is so that western Maine business owners can make the most out of the upcoming tourist season.

The current closure was slated to continue through July 2, but Cowan said he will meet with representatives from E.L. Vining, contractors for the project, late this week to determine if the roadway could possibly be opened to one-lane alternating traffic as early as next week.

Although it’s not a definite yet, that would allow traffic to move slowly through the stretch and access Avon businesses nearly a week ahead of schedule. If the decision was made, Cowan said, it may push the two-lane opening back a few weeks, but those details are still being worked out.

The concern that may hold back the one-lane alternating opening is worker and traffic safety, said Cowan. However, if E.L. Vining feels that their workers will not be jeopardized, the road will be re-opened. Other concerns are that the cost of the project may be affected, and that the predicted completion date of the entire project, in late October, would be pushed back.

Meanwhile, Cowan confirmed the second bridge closure along the stretch, that again reroutes traffic, expected in July or August has been postponed until after Labor Day and will only last a maximum of two weeks.

Cowan said the move is significant to local business owners because it will allow them to capitalize on traffic traveling to towns like Rangeley and Weld during the area’s peak tourism months. “The voice of local business owners has been heard,” he said. “The areas where we can compromise, we will. But when it comes to compromising the safety of our workers or traffic, we won’t.”

Mary Dunham, who along with her husband, Bruce, owns Dunham’s Lobster Pot in Avon, said the closure has had a noticeable and negative impact on their business, which is usually bustling at this time. Last week, Mary Dunham said two young customers actually parked their cars up the road, just ahead of the spot where the road was closed and walked in. On Wednesday, they had one customer, which she said is definitely unusual.

So she and other local business owners, working through their state representative, Tom Saviello, urged DOT to compromise.

After hearing about the scheduling changes, Dunham was pleased. “I think it’s great,” she said happily. “As quick as they can open up that road, even if it’s just one lane, is best. It’s been a desperate situation all the way around.”

“The tourism in July and August helps you catch up (financially) from last year and get ahead for next year,” she admits. “With all the mills closing in this area, tourism in July and August is it.”

sdepoy@sunjournal.com