As the public is aware the City of Rockland has received a $600,000 Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) grant and $225,000 in Maine Department of
Transportation (MeDOT) grants for Downtown Main Street streetscape and pedestrian
improvements from Limerock Street to North Main Street. The improvements will involve
installing new handicapped accessible sidewalks and crosswalks, resetting existing
or installing new curbs, relocating street lights out of the sidewalks, narrowing Main
Street from Summer Street to North Main Streets, installing new raised crosswalk
to slow speeding traffic along with new trees, landscaping and sidewalk fencing.
On September 15, 2010 four project bids were received ranging from $450,771
to $813,013. The low bidder was Jake Barbour, Inc. (JBI) of Owls Head. JBI has been
awarded the contract for the project. The first part of the project, which includes the
section of Main Street from Summer Street to North Main Street will start the first week
of October 2010 and be substantially completed by November 30, 2010. Part of the
work will include the demolition of existing sidewalks and removal of existing pavement
and replacement with unit paver sidewalks. The project will then pick up again in March
2011 focusing on that section of Main Street from Limerock Street to Rock Coast
Sport and the ally way by 449 Main Street. The entire project will be completed by
June 30, 2011. Because the bids came in lower than expected, additional items will
be added back into the project budget that were previously excluded. In addition to
new crosswalks from Limerock Street to North Main Street, a new crosswalk will also
be installed in front of the Atlantic Bakery and the Strand Theater near the Farnsworth
Museum.
During construction there will be a Project Superintendent from JBI on-site as
well as a project engineer provided by Wright-Pierce Engineering of Topsham who will
act as the City’s representative during construction. For more information please contact
Rockland Community Development Director Rodney Lynch at 207-594-0306 or
rlynch@ci.rockland.me.us or Lorain Francis, Executive Director, Rockland Main Street,
Inc. lorain@rocklandmainstreet.com or 207 593 6093.
