Route 161 undergoes repairs

    Improvements to two sections of Route 161 in Fort Fairfield and Caribou are scheduled to begin on Monday, May 7, according to the Maine DOT.
    “We’re going to be making various types of improvements to two different sections of roadway,” explained Martine Burnham, Maine DOT’s construction manager on the project, which includes both sections in a single contract.  “The first area begins six-tenths of a mile north of the Hopkins Road in Fort Fairfield and extends north, ending four-tenths of a mile north of the Green Ridge Road. The second section begins one-tenth of a mile south of the railroad crossing in Fort Fairfield and extends north, ending north of Moore Brook in Caribou,” Burnham said.
    The nature of the work will vary, depending upon the condition of the existing roadway, explained Burnham. Drivers using Route 161 can expect alternating one-way traffic in the immediate vicinity of work areas during the day with flaggers directing traffic flow.  
    The contractor will be required to cease operations and remove all equipment from the roadway over the Memorial Day and Fourth of July holidays, according to Burnham. The contract, awarded to Ed Pelletier and Sons of Madawaska on a bid of nearly $2.8 million, calls for completion of all work  by the end of August.