AUBURN – The state is likely to select a contractor in April for a seven-month project that will detour traffic on Washington Street south of Maine Turnpike interchange 75.

Catherine Small of the Maine Department of Transportation said the department opened bids on the $24 million maintenance project for the Route 100 bridge over the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad. Small said the state would likely announce the low bidder for the work in the next few weeks.

Work is scheduled to begin early in May.

Southbound traffic on Washington Street will be down to one lane between Kittyhawk Avenue and Poland Spring Road for much of the work.

Northbound traffic will be detoured at Poland Spring Road, turning left to Hotel Road and continuing north to Kittyhawk Avenue. The entire detour will add 2.5 miles to the normal trip north on Washington Avenue.

“We tried to come up with a detour that would have as few left-hand turns – turns across traffic – as possible,” Small said.