LEWISTON — Police are preparing barricades and traffic warnings as this weekend’s Dempsey Challenge pours thousands of walkers, runners and cyclists into the streets.
Traffic will be interrupted sporadically on Sunday as cyclists begin treks of 10 to 100 miles, beginning on Oxford Street and ending at nearby Simard-Payne Memorial Park in downtown Lewiston.
However, Saturday morning’s events could block off parts of the downtown for three hours or more, Lewiston police Sgt. David Chick said Thursday. People in the Little Canada neighborhood will be allowed to leave their homes during the event but will be prevented from crossing the challenge route to return.
“If you’re going to go out, plan on being part of the event,” Chick said.
This year’s route for Saturday’s running and walking event begins at the new starting point and stage near CarQuest on Oxford Street.
It will move up Cross Street and head south on Lincoln Street, through the Cedar Street intersection and on to the River Road, said Aimee Arsenault, manager of special events and development for The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing.
The length of the corridor — running parallel to the Androscoggin River from Cross Street to the intersection of River Road and Alfred Plourde Parkway — will be closed to incoming traffic, Chick said.
Barricades could start going up as early as 7 a.m. for the 8 a.m. start, he said.
The effects will be felt in New Auburn too.
Auburn police are planning for the closure of the Bernard Lown Bridge from 7:45 to 9:30 a.m.
Officers will be posted at key intersections to direct traffic as needed, Auburn police Deputy Chief Jason Moen said.
“When we close the bridge down, we’ll have officers there and at Broad and Mill streets,” he said.
Parking for the morning events will be available, though not from every direction. City lots at Lincoln and Main streets and at Lincoln and Chestnut streets will be open. However, closures will force drivers to reach the latter garage by Chestnut Street.
And the Main Street garage will use the few feet of Lincoln that is expected to remain open, also keeping traffic open to Yvonne’s Car Wash and the new Hampton Inn.
Sunday’s bicycle trek is expected to be less disruptive in downtown Lewiston and Auburn.
Closures on Lincoln and Cedar streets will happen only sporadically as waves of cyclists leave the starting area, Chick said. The Lown Bridge is scheduled to close for from 7:30 to 8 a.m.
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- Nolan Johnson, 8, of Auburn, gets his bike seat height adjusted by Lyle Uecker of Kaukauma, Wis., Thursday during The Dempsey Challenge Bike-a-Palooza at Bates College in Lewiston. Uecker has traveled from the Midwest for the past six years and has been cancer free for five years.
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- Daniel Reynolds, 11, of Lewiston rides around in the Grey Athletic Building at Bates College on what he calls his “clown bike” during The Dempsey Challenge Bike-a-Palooza with pro cyclist Freddie Rodriguez on Thursday. The attendees learned bike safety, maintenance and handling.
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- Pro cyclist Freddie Rodriguez bikes around the Grey Athletic Building on the Bates College campus Thursday night with a group of local children during The Dempsey Challenge Bike-a-Palooza.
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