City of Portland Alerts

**Reminder** Veranda Plan Traffic Alert: I-295 Between Portland & Falmouth Closed 4/22-4/25

4/20/2022 - 9:28 AM
The Maine Department of Transportation will be closing a section of Interstate 295 north and south between Portland and Falmouth for the Veranda Street bridge replacement project. 

The full closure will take place on Friday, April 22 at 7:00 PM until Monday, April 25 at 11:00 AM. 

Veranda Street is closed for a week from Monday, April 18 to 2:00 PM on Monday, April 25. 

At 60 years old, the Veranda Street Bridge is near the end of its useful life, and needs to be replaced for safety’s sake. While there’s no perfect time to do road construction, MaineDOT picked this weekend in April based on historic traffic flows. This project not only replaces the outdated bridge, but it will create a safer intersection with Veranda Street, and add lanes to protect bicyclists and pedestrians, plus fix problematic drainage.

Normally it would take months to remove the old bridge and build a new one in its place. But by building the new bridge right next to the old one, removing the old one, and rolling the new one into place – the road will be closed for just 64 hours!

Please make a travel plan to avoid delays and traffic congestion. Visit Verandaplan.org for more information, including the purpose of the project and alternate routes during the closure. The Resources Tab of the website includes notices, describing the closures and detours, that can be downloaded and printed for Portland residents and businesses.

Remember – Avoid the Portland-to-Falmouth area if at all possible. If traveling through, use the Maine Turnpike and its Falmouth Spur. If traveling locally, check out alternate routes.