Go with the flow, Waterville drivers: Sections of downtown roads now open to two-way traffic - Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel

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Barriers and signs stand Monday near where a two-way traffic pattern has been introduced on Front Street, at the intersection with College Avenue in Waterville. College Avenue can be seen in the background, just north of the Colby Street overpass. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

WATERVILLE — Drivers in downtown Waterville should be prepared for changes to the traffic flow.

Work is continuing on the city’s $11.2 million downtown revitalization project, which includes extensive roadwork.

In recent days, part of Front Street, for years a one-way road, was changed to two-way traffic. That stretch is near the police station, close to where Front Street intersects with College Avenue. The portion of Colby Street in that area has also been changed to two-way traffic and is becoming part of College Avenue.

The rest of Front Street and Main Street in the downtown area are to be changed to two-way traffic in late October or early November, according to Robert Clewley, a resident inspector with Kleinfelder Inc., an engineering, construction management, design and environmental professional services firm.

Crooker Construction, the Topsham-based contractor on the downtown project, has until Nov. 5 to complete the work, but Clewley said he is hopeful two-way traffic will happen before then.

In the meantime, motorists should allow extra time as they travel through downtown Waterville.

“Traffic from College Avenue will be diverted a short distance down Front Street and then back on to College Avenue south of Burger King. College Avenue from Main Street toward Fairfield will also be diverted around to Front Street in this area,” Waterville police officials wrote in a recent Facebook post.

Clewley said an initial layer of paving is scheduled to begin next week on parts of College Avenue and Front Street. Three layers of paving are planned.

Curbing is expected to be installed the week of July 18, he said.

“I think (the construction project) is on track,” Clewley said. “I’ve worked with a lot of contractors, and Crooker just has a different approach. Right now, I do not see any issue with them meeting their date of completion.”