Resurfacing Route 2 slated for summer

DIXFIELD- Drivers making their way east or west through the one-light town will have to once again contend with delays this summer as the Maine Department of Transportation resurfaces the area of Route 2 between the new Webb River Bridge and Hall Hill.

Last week selectmen unanimously approved $13,000 to be taken from the highway budget to finance their share of the repair to sidewalks damaged during the construction of the new bridge. The MDOT first offered to just repair the curbing along the sidewalks, but upon closer examination realized that the surfaces needed repair, as well, but the town would have to contribute to that project.

The town also received a proposal by the MDOT to install cameras, to the tune of $5,000, at the intersection of Route 2 and Weld Street instead of placing the sensors in the roadbed.

According to selectman Scott Belskis, the board agreed that since the state was going to fund the replacement of the sensors and upkeep of them at their cost, they were going to save the town money by not going with cameras.

“It’s a pain to be sitting at that light trying to turn left onto Route 2,” stated selectman Belskis. “Not to mention if you’re on a motorcycle. Those sensors just can’t pick you out. So, it would have been nice going with the cameras, but in this case, to save a couple thousand dollars and then to not have to maintain the cameras on top of that, this was the best choice for the town. Especially if we’re going to have to start looking at ways of cutting our budget with the new state cuts.”

There is no definitive date for the construction to begin.