Section of I-95 in Maine to close until November

[KEVIN_224]

http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article/246877/314/Stretch-of-northbound-I-95-lanes-to-close-in-Maine

Luckily, they're talking about a stretch of I-95 in southern Aroostook County where US Route 2 parallels it. I kinda think this would never happen in York or Cumberland counties! 

http://goo.gl/maps/pB4sk

[NE2]

That part of I-95 doesn't need four lanes anyway.

[deathtopumpkins]

I wonder why they didn't just convert the southbound lanes to a super-2 then?

[agentsteel53]

I wonder why they didn't just convert the southbound lanes to a super-2 then?

I think the necessary on- and off-ramp construction would not be worth it. 

[deathtopumpkins]

I wonder why they didn't just convert the southbound lanes to a super-2 then?

I think the necessary on- and off-ramp construction would not be worth it.

I'm not sure exactly the length it covers (as the article just says "between Island Falls and Oakfield"), but it seems like there are no intermediate interchanges. So unless the work involves the interchanges at each end (276 and 286), MaineDOT could simply build a median crossover after the onramp from each interchange.

I could understand building crossovers not being worth it for an overnight or weekend closure, or even one of a week or two, but it seems strange to just flat-out close the northbound direction for 6 months.

[agentsteel53]

you're right; that would be pretty simple.  one ramp per interchange would be sufficient. 

I have no idea why they wouldn't.

restriping is too expensive?

oh Hell I'm just drawing complaints out of a hat!

[NE2]

It used to be two-lane except at interchanges.

[Beeper1]

If it was on a busier section of highway I'm sure they would try some sort of contra-flow arrangement.  But since the traffic counts on that section are so low, and there is a directly paralell US route, it was probably deemed acceptabe to just use the detour.

[silverback1065]

That part of I-95 doesn't need four lanes anyway.

It has to be or it wouldn't be following the rules, all interstates must have at least 4 lanes, 2 in each direction, there are only a few instances where this is violated.

[NE2]

It doesn't need to be a fucken Interstate.

[Alps]

It doesn't need to be a fucken Interstate.

Is that some sort of aborted turducken? Yes, I-95 could end at Bangor functionally, but there are also so many exceptions to every Interstate rule that they could theoretically let a single carriageway slide if they so desired.

[Pete from Boston]

It doesn't need to be a fucken Interstate.

It barely needs to be paved.

[seicer]

That part of I-95 doesn't need four lanes anyway.

It has to be or it wouldn't be following the rules, all interstates must have at least 4 lanes, 2 in each direction, there are only a few instances where this is violated.

It was perfectly fine as a two-lane for decades, and followed the rules

[froggie]

In all reality, and SPUI's snarkiness aside, there's no reason why I-95 can't remain an Interstate.  That said, based on traffic volumes, it could have easily remained 2 lanes.  Only reason it's 4 lanes is because of Congress mandating the Interstates be 4 lanes (with a couple notable exceptions) back in the 1960s.

Can't reach the article so not sure what sort of work is being done, but given the closure, I'd guess it's a full depth reconstruction.  Minnesota does this often (occasionally on I-90, which doesn't have much more traffic in places than I-95 in northern Maine), but typically builds crossovers.  Not sure why MDOT isn't in this I-95 case.

[oscar]

Just to be clear, while the thread title says that part of I-95 will be closed, the linked article says that only the northbound lanes on that stretch will be closed (with their traffic diverted to US 2), and the southbound lanes will stay open while the northbound lanes are being rebuilt.

The article says the work is being done to minimize frost heaves, which accords with Froggie's point that this is probably a full rebuild. 

[cpzilliacus]

I wonder why they didn't just convert the southbound lanes to a super-2 then?

Good idea - especially since that  part of I-95 was a Super-2 when it first opened to traffic.

[cpzilliacus]

The article says the work is being done to minimize frost heaves, which accords with Froggie's point that this is probably a full rebuild. 

I have seen frost heave repairs in Sweden and Finland - practice there is to close the road in question and do full-depth repairs (and given how deep the subgrade is, full-depth  is the right way to describe it).