People found alternate routes, but commuting still was slow.
LEWISTON – Bumper-to-bumper traffic and honking horns greeted commuters Tuesday as a section of Main Street remained closed throughout the day.
While fire investigators dug into rubble at the scene of a Monday afternoon explosion, traffic snarls were reported on both sides of the Longley Bridge.
Cars and trucks backed up on the bridge as drivers tried to move from one city to another. The biggest trouble zone was Lincoln Street in Lewiston, the only route available for anyone driving across the bridge from Auburn into the city.
“There were no big problems,” said deputy police Chief Michael Bussiere. “Traffic was just moving slow at times.”
Main Street was closed between Lincoln and Canal streets while debris was cleared from the scene of the blast at the former Hotel Holly.
Motorists driving into Lewiston on the Longley Bridge had to cut down Lincoln Street and then try their luck on Chestnut or Cedar streets. Both of those streets were clogged with traffic most of the day and into the night.
Others chose to bypass the area altogether, using the Vietnam Veterans Memorial or South bridges instead. That created heavy traffic in some sections of Auburn.
“People have done a good job finding alternative routes,” Bussiere said. “They’re just going to have to continue doing that for another day.”
The stretch of Main Street between Lincoln and Canal in Lewiston was expected to remained closed throughout Tuesday night. Police were advising motorists to consider optional routes between the cities during Wednesday’s morning commute.
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