By Zack Anchors

Staff Writer



The City Council is considering whether to allow noisy night work on a
major road project in a residential area. The Exit 3 project, which
will reconfigure the I-295 exit at the intersection of Westbrook and
Street and Broadway, has the potential to create major traffic and
safety dilemmas, and the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) has
asked the city to consider changing an ordinance that prohibits night
work in residential neighborhoods. Two representatives from MDOT, who
will be sending the project’s contract out to bid next month, spoke at
the Oct. 23 council workshop on its potential impact.



“Our concern is not only building this, but building it safely and not
tying traffic up,” said MDOT’s Shawn Smith. “If we can do a lot of the
work at night, not only will it reduce traffic during business hours,
but it might speed up work so we can get out of town sooner.”



The flip-side of night work, as MDOT explained, is that the “back-up
beep” of trucks, the sound of pavement being removed and many other
construction-related noises are likely to permeate into nearby houses.

“When we talk about night work–to put it bluntly–night work stinks,”
said MDOT engineer Ken Silver. “We’re not going to do any more night
work than is necessary.”



How much work is necessary, Silver said, would be around two to three
weeks worth, with construction likely spanning from Sunday night to
Thursday night. Other work, requiring less impact on traffic, would
take place during the day in the weeks before and after.



Councilor Claude Morgan inquired about possible ways to minimize noise, but Silver said there was not much that could be done.



“If you’re looking for quiet, you’re not going to get it,” he said.



The main purpose of the Exit 3 project is to create a new entrance ramp
to Interstate-295 that will allow right-hand turn access from Westbrook
Street and Broadway, eliminating the need to cross oncoming traffic on
Westbrook Street to enter I-295 northbound. Westbrook Street and
Broadway, in the areas approaching the intersection, will also be
widened. These changes are expected to greatly improve what has become
a congested and dangerous intersection.



Councilor Linda Boudreau asked if the work was likely to go forward
during winter, when people have their windows and doors closed tight,
or during warmer months.



“The contractor really schedules his own work,” said Silver. “It would probably be when people's windows are open.”



MDOT plans to advertise the contract in November, to begin construction sometime in the spring.



During the same time period, MDOT will be overseeing major projects on
Payne Road and on Western Avenue, which, combined with the Exit 3
project, are expected to complicate traffic flow in the city’s west
end.

Councilor Jim Hughes, who lives close to the intersection and said he
expects sleepless nights if the night work is approved, was resistant
to the proposal.



“It’s a bad situation either way,” he said. “It’s going to be loud for these people and it’s going to be unpleasant.”



Public notices had been sent out to residents of the area informing
them of the issue and the workshop. Three residents attended and shared
their concerns with the council. Two said they would “rather get the
pain over with” and supported the night work. Another man pointed out
that the neighborhood includes many elderly people and immigrant
families who do not always understand English well, and suggested that
the council keep those people in mind as they make a decision.



Tom Myers, South Portland’s Director of Waterfront and Transportation,
told the council that the city’s buses run through the intersection
fifty times a day. He said the largest impact on local residents would
likely be from daytime construction, due to its effect of the transit
system and traffic in general. He said the bus routes in that area are
the city’s most popular.

In order for the night work to go forward, the council must take a series of steps.



First, at their next meeting they will hold a hearing on an amendment
to the ordinance that prohibits night work in residential areas. The
amendment would allow the council to make exceptions to the ordinance.

Residents will be given an opportunity to address the council at that
hearing as well as a second hearing on the matter at the following
meeting.



If the amendment is ultimately approved, the council must then hold one
more public hearing where they will consider granting a waiver to the
ordinance specifically for the Exit 3 project. Public notices will be
mailed out to residents who live within 500 feet of the project and
they will be invited to share their opinions at the hearing. If the
waiver is passed, then night work will proceed.