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September 29, 2022

Turnpike authority nears finish line on $42.5M interchange revamp

Turnpike construction aerial view Courtesy / Maine Turnpike Authority Construction on the Maine Turnpike Diamond interchange project dates back to 2019. The new Diamond Interchange will debut on Monday after this weekend's closure of Exit 45 near the Maine Mall to traffic.
By Renee Cordes

The Maine Turnpike Authority is nearing the finish line on a $42.5 million revamp of a highway interchange in South Portland near the Maine Mall.

Work on the project started in 2019. It was broken up into two separate contracts: The $14.8 million embankment preload, followed by a $27.7 million contract to build the interchange, toll plazas and bridge.

Sargent Corp., of Stillwater, was the contractor on the $14.8 million project, which was completed last year. Freeport-based CPM Construction Inc. is the contractor on the $27.7 million project that's about to wrap up.

The 67-year old exit is being replaced by a new Diamond Interchange configuration, which will make its debut after this weekend.

As contractors finish the work this weekend, all of Exit 45's on — and off-ramps will be closed to traffic from 9 a.m. this Friday through Monday, Oct. 3, although any inclement weather could determine the actual reopening time. Turnpike travelers should plan to use any of the nearby interchanges during the closure.

The project was undertaken after highway design engineers determined that the Exit 45 interchange, originally designed for the Turnpike's expansion from Portland to Augusta in 1955, could no longer handle the higher traffic volumes of this century.

Nor could the older interchange delays accommodate the height of today's commercial trucks, a number of which had unfortunately misjudged the clearance limits of the old overpass carrying traffic across the main line to and from the southbound lanes, according to the Maine Turnpike Authority.

The changeover will direct entering traffic to new toll plazas, now located on the two on-ramps. After the switch, and for several weeks, all traffic will travel non-stop through the former toll plaza on the Maine Turnpike Approach Road.

Later in October, the Maine Turnpike Authority plans to close Exit 45 again when crews demolish and remove the old barrier toll booths.

"When the exit reopens next week, drivers will begin navigating the new interchange and should be mindful of new traffic pattern," the Turnpike Authority said this week.

The Maine Turnpike Authority will mark its 75th anniversary later this year.

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