The long-running reconstruction project on Portland’s busy Congress Square intersection, first started in 2022, is now expected to wrap up by the end of October.
The $3.1 million intersection redesign — targeting infrastructure upgrades, including new traffic signals, sidewalks and lighting — was originally scheduled to be finished in 2024.
Delays ranged from disputes with an earlier contractor, unforeseen bedrock and what the city described as an “unidentified concrete duct bank” — discovered during the attempted installation of a conduit across Congress and High streets.
The majority of the earlier work completed was on the corner plaza outside the Portland Museum of Art plaza, along with realignment of the entry to Free Street and some traffic signal upgrades.
Going forward, work is scheduled to be conducted on one quadrant of the intersection at a time and pedestrian re-routing will be posted. The contractor is Westbrook-based Coastal Road Repair LLC.
Traffic flow will be maintained as follows:
- Congress Street: one lane in each direction
- High Street: two lanes approaching Congress Square
- High Street: one lane leaving Congress Square.
Exceptions will be during periods of milling and paving.
Residents and visitors with special needs or scheduling issues are being directed to contact Kris DeVolder, kdevolder@portlandmaine.gov, 207-874-8817.
