AVON – State transportation representatives say they have good news for drivers and businesses on Route 4 in Avon.

Maine Department of Transportation has decided scheduled road closure for a bridge replacement project won’t be needed after all, DOT Project Manager Heath Cowen said in a release Wednesday.

“We’ve tried to be responsive to the concerns of residents and drivers in the project area,” Cowan stated. “We originally planned to do two road closures during the summer construction season. In response to local concerns brought forward by Sen. Chandler Woodcock, R-Franklin, and Rep. Tom Saviello, D-Wilton, we arranged with the contractor to postpone the second closure until after Labor Day. Now, in response to continuing concerns, we’ve re-evaluated the present condition of the second bridge.”

DOT’s original assessment was that it made sense to replace both bridges while it had an ongoing highway project in the area, Cowan stated. Doing both bridges at once would have cost less and allowed it to treat the entire project length at once, he stated.

“But, after closer examination and reconsidering impacts already incurred, we directed the contractor, E. L. Vining of Farmington, to leave the bridge in place.”

Additional work is needed on the roadside near the bridge, but it can be done without closing the road to traffic, Cowan said. Drivers can expect to encounter alternating one-way traffic near the bridge during that phase of the work, he stated.

The overall contract with Vining provides for $3.8 million in improvements to nearly 4 miles of Route 4.

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