The construction of a sidewalk on Bristol Road from Main Street in Damariscotta to the Miles Campus of LincolnHealth, long in the works, now appears unlikely to start before 2016.
The Maine Department of Transportation is “not optimistic about going out for bid in 2014,” Damariscotta Town Manager Matt Lutkus said at an Oct. 15 meeting of the Damariscotta Board of Selectmen.
The new timetable points to a request for bids in early 2015 and construction in 2016, Lutkus said.
“I know the neighborhood will be disappointed to hear that news, but we’re moving along as quickly on that as we can, pushing as hard as we can to get that project going,” Lutkus said.
“The project is designed (and) the funds have been set aside, both at the state and federal level and at the town level,” Lutkus said.
The town originally received a $29,600 grant to design the project in summer 2011. As of spring 2012, the hope was for construction to start in fall 2013 or the spring or summer of 2014.
The delays since result from the need to conduct a right-of-way survey along Bristol Road from Main Street to Day’s Cove, according to Damariscotta Road Commissioner Steve Reynolds.
The survey is almost complete, Reynolds said. The state will review the survey and determine how it will affect the project, including impacts on private property.
“They have to decide the condemnation process, if that’s going to apply to some properties, or how they’re actually going to define the final right-of-way issues,” Reynolds said.
“The reality would be, as soon as we have that defined, we should probably have another public meeting and get together with the residents out there so we can clearly say what’s what,” Reynolds said.
“I think there are going to be a few minor (private property takings) but I think the ones that will happen are going to be vast improvements to how the sidewalk will lay out,” Reynolds said.
A representative of the engineering firm for the project said in 2012 that it could impact driveways, gardens, and mailboxes along the road.
Reynolds was slightly more optimistic about the timeline for the project.
“If we could go out to bid in the spring, we could still possibly get it finished for next fall,” Reynolds said.
