Drivers using portions of Route 302 in Windham and Route 26 in Gray may want to allow extra time or consider an alternate route for the next several weeks due to highway construction, according to the Maine Department of Transportation.

“We’re going to be working on nearly three miles of U.S. Route 302 between the rotary at Foster’s Corner in Windham and the intersection of Route 302 and Route 35 in North Windham,” said Joe Darling, MDOT’s construction manager for both projects. “In Gray, we’re going to be working on the section of Route 26 between Long Hill Road and the Route 26/Route 4 intersection in Gray village.”

Work in both locations includes shimming the existing pavement to create a more level surface, drainage improvements and paving. “We’re going to concentrate on the shimming and drainage work in preparation for paving around the first of October,” Darling explained. “Motorists can expect to encounter flaggers, equipment and traffic delays in both locations from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Because of the traffic volumes on both of these routes, we know traffic delays are inevitable, but we’ll do our best to keep them to a minimum.”

Both projects are covered by a single contract, awarded to Pike Industries of Lewiston, on a bid of nearly $878,000. That contract calls for the completion of work on both projects by mid-November.