THOMASTON — Beginning in April 2016 through November 2018, The Maine Department of Transportation intends to reconstruct 2.1 miles of Route 1. On Monday evening, January 11, the town of Thomaston held a public information meeting to allow residents to talk about the proposed construction, specifically whether to allow night work to shorten the proposed time.

Watts Hall was filled with residents all ready to talk, but things got off to a slow start when it was announced that Ernest Martin, DOT project manager, would no be attending the meeting because of a family medical emergency.

The current estimate of work days for construction is approximately 500 days, which could require up to three years of work, according to the town.

“The allowance of night work has the potential of shortening the total time in days to two years,” according to a news release from the Town Manager Val Blastow. “The Board of Selectmen felt it was important to have a public meeting to discuss these options because this project will impact the lives of all community members and traveling public.”

In addition to the selectmen, Town Manager Blastow, Town Attorney Paul Gibbons, Pollution Control Superintendent John Fancy and Audrey Lovering, of Lovering Associates, were introduced to the hall.

Lovering Associates is handling communications and coordinating the DOT, town and residents.

Points brought out during the discussion were when exactly at night the work would take place. Many wanted a cap on work at midnight, while others complained about the effect machinery and lights would have on their sleep time.

David Hanc, a Thomaston resident who lives on Main St., said it wasn’t only an inconvenience to have crews work at night, it was a health concern.

“The last time this happened there were six lights set up in front of my house,” he said. “With the shades pulled, I could still read a book in my bedroom. We’re not talking about broken sleep, we’re talking about no sleep while those lights are set up. I don’t go to bed at midnight. I go to bed much earlier.”

Unique to this project is the fact that  there are 12 inches of reinforced concrete under there asphalt which must all be removed. Equipment to do this work is large, noisy and intrusive. This work will require traffic reduced to one lane, or stopped altogether. 

Interruption of traffic was a big concern to local businesses. Ryan Jones, owner of the Thomaston Café, said his business is based on tourism and he would lose all his parking.

“How is the town going to help businesses get through?” he said.

In the end it was Select Board member Lee Ann Upham who asked that the town schedule another public meeting when a DOT representative could be present.

Chuck Kruger, D-Thomaston, represents District 92 in the Maine House. He said it was a good turn out and is always glad to see citizen participation.

“If there is one thing that I want people to understand is that if they don’t do night work, the whole project goes longer,” he said. “I understand that there are people who don’t want night work going on in front of their house. It’s a tough situation. There are no winners and I certainly sympathize, but I do think that if you had the whole town polled as to whether you want the whole project to go longer, and it’s not just the town, it’s everybody who goes through town, you can’t wait to get from one side to the other, and if you ask them should this be longer, they would say no.”

As of Jan. 12, the project is expected to be advertised Jan. 27. There will be a bid opening on Feb. 17. The contract for the work will be awarded on March 18, with work scheduled to begin on April 18.