CHAIN OF PONDS TOWNSHIP – There isn’t a house for miles so drivers passing through the rural ridges of Route 27 in Chain of Ponds Township may be a bit taken aback when they come upon a stoplight about 15 miles north of Stratton.

The light, just south of Coburn Gore on the U.S.-Canadian border, will regulate a one-way alternating traffic lane, that will be in place for 12 to 16 weeks as the Maine Department of Transportation does bridge repairs.

The project, which began Monday, will cost about $100,000, said Everett Barnard, head of DOT’s bridge maintenance section, and involve a six-worker crew.

Traffic studies show that each day between 800 and 900 vehicles, many of them logging trucks, cross the bridge, which carries Route 27 over the North Branch of the Dead River, Barnard said.

The repairs will include replacing the bridge rail, curbs and top surface, which over the past 20 years since the bridge was last fixed, have deteriorated from moisture and winter road salt.

Barnard encourages drivers to be considerate of road workers during the repairs so that the process can be a smooth one.

“Drivers should approach the bridge with the attitude that the light in their direction may be red or may change to red as they approach the bridge,” he explained in a release. “They should approach the work area with care and proceed through it at a reduced speed. It’s for their own protection as well as the protection of our workers.”

sdepoy@sunjournal.com

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