[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6258752,"mediaKeyId","3145668-19b4053994ff7931b745983d4ee4b3cc","parentId",3145668,"title","DOT and city outline multi-year bridge work; residents warned of prolonged local impacts","audioSeconds",472,"startMs",2295169,"endMs",2767550,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3145668-19b4053994ff7931b745983d4ee4b3cc&start=2295&end=2767","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3145668-19b4053994ff7931b745983d4ee4b3cc/thumbnail_2295169.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6258752/Maine/DOT-and-city-outline-multi-year-bridge-work-residents-warned-of-prolonged-local-impacts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6258752-ebe12b28f776b2fca6e9d0b409947f9f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159413&Signature=enkP5YjMbXTXJlgKz~Cb4ZvxNfQZOqRv5m27soS6eXbpiyAIdzbVxU7ybp9SfPvRTA6GVbqmuXxgfD8e6KPl6jE9lRcETunfADC6r6tHFQ4gP4s-ma2FsGkzAl8Y8ySLbgA8vpw5N7f30sH6Ca1opb1QBlwkzZLD1uIRuyKtydZlAiGB-2iMEFWL8hRmTWayKyHYbQ~dZPEP9yxDRua4qlqCr4XfY13GyY1J6p6pW1PYZCgYYt93xHecl9gDCTUn4RPyLcb5JZWs4ws5Esz7K-dMRuewPL6AELi~TosPOWIjPu2dNuFZN9vHa2u~T~oE285KRwwWApU4eZVi6YZ24Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-29T14:01:35.413Z","article","City engineering staff and a DOT project manager on Monday briefed the Infrastructure Committee on a cluster of bridge replacement projects that the Maine Department of Transportation plans to deliver by design-build, with construction expected to begin in 2025 and run through 2029 for major crossings.

Jefferson Davis, interim director of engineering, summarized DOT plans for multiple nearby bridges including the bridge on Stillwater Avenue, a bridge carrying a local avenue over I-95 (named in the presentation as \"Investigative Avenue\"), and other DOT-led replacements and resurfacing projects. Davis said DOT intends to use the design-build procurement method to compress schedule and coordinate contractor and designer responsibilities: \"they hope that's gonna save some time for their process,\" he said.

The nut graf: several sizable bridge projects clustered in the same corridor mean multi-year construction and local detours; DOT and city staff said they will try to maintain traffic and pedestrian access where possible but warned of intermittent closures, detours via Valley Avenue and local side streets, and temporary traffic controls at sensitive intersections.

Presentation slides and staff discussion said Stillwater Avenue work could preserve two-way traffic most of the time, with occasional closures planned for night or limited-duration work. For the bridge over I-95 the concept is to replace a multi-span steel-beam bridge with a two-span girder bridge, provide 11-to-12-foot lanes, 3-to-4-foot shoulders and a 5-foot sidewalk, and manage shallow utilities and residential access nearby. DOT indicated it plans concept development and public meetings in the near term, final design in 2025 and construction beginning in fall 2025, with an anticipated completion around 2029 for the larger projects.

Davis and staff stressed the need for close coordination among DOT, the city engineering and public-works departments and public-safety agencies. Committee members raised particular concern about routing highway traffic onto Valley Avenue and Fourteenth Street, sight-line safety at the Bruce Road/Valley Avenue intersection and the potential for drivers to divert onto neighborhood streets. Staff said traffic-control plans and specific mitigation measures will be developed and reviewed with the council as the projects proceed.

The city also reported on shorter, city-managed bridge work such as Ohio Street (a concrete-deck replacement expected to bid in late 2024 or spring 2025 and to take about six months) and mentioned Bullseye/Griffin Road resurfacing coordination with DOT. No binding schedule changes or council approvals were recorded at the committee meeting.

Ending: staff said the city will continue coordination with DOT, run public comment and outreach opportunities while updating the committee as final designs and traffic-control plans become available.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Infrastructure Committee - 8/19/24","oneSentenceSummary","Maine DOT and city engineering staff described several concurrent bridge-replacement projects (including Stillwater Avenue and a bridge over I-95), a design-build delivery method, and a construction timeline that could extend to 2029; staff said coordination will be key to minimizing neighborhood traffic impacts.","taxTitle","Infrastructure Committee, Bangor City, Penobscot County, Maine","taxId",69273,"location","Maine","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6258757,"Bangor public works plans education-first approach to sidewalk plowing enforcement",193,1804770,1998490,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3145668-19b4053994ff7931b745983d4ee4b3cc&start=1804&end=1998","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3145668-19b4053994ff7931b745983d4ee4b3cc/thumbnail_1804770.jpg","/articles/6258757/Maine/Bangor-public-works-plans-education-first-approach-to-sidewalk-plowing-enforcement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6258757-123d5f1d0334602a9406591b474d9a10/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159413&Signature=DcfNrL0Pxm4pG0QXjFAn28Or07iiJDTO96QVxC66LmRgPb9yVICWm4kMWXmU95rOXOw7H1XFjfVwSWvJDRoHSiM9jf7vdEQJc9SUVd81gd9FjKDbWjLQokDIUSFdaJ5vnFipDA0L4VmbeAm2D~9WMoiyGTlWuM7CLPd7POvJYqIOtmFQgksBrxR~7N7u3lofyII1hrxeLhQyqWcdE-Hen39lLIpOdwru8FmsUkkFwJG3A6fzjlsi2T8v1W5ydaccFsFPCKxXClA0KDZLmg7YLgzFg-FWFzZSUaLhEhbPJcv6KNONE83xAW62TS1WzAnkbNwgejeYdaFsKWiijwYU1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Bangor Public Works on Monday told the Infrastructure Committee it will begin a proactive education campaign and improve tracking before moving to enforcement for properties that deposit snow or ice onto public sidewalks.

Public Works staff said they reviewed enforcement mechanisms for ordinance 2304-6 (deposit of snow and ice on public ways) with the city solicitor and found that the department\u0011s practical enforcement option is to remove prohibited snow or ice and charge back the property owner only when directed by the city manager.

The nut graf: after a winter of hundreds of notifications, staff said they do not have capacity to remove snow from many private properties and issue invoices without prior direction. Instead staff proposed a phased approach: education and press outreach before winter, targeted signposting and mapping of repeat offenders during the season, and only after outreach is exhausted will Public Works request manager authorization to remove and bill.

Public Works said staff will publish updated sidewalk-plowing maps and violation lists on the city website before winter, use asset-management software to map notifications and signs, and coordinate social-media and local-media outreach. The department also plans a public-service announcement, and will track whether failures are primarily homeowners or contractors.

Committee members raised questions about public receptivity. Staff said last winter generated many calls and pushback; most complaints stemmed from plow-contracted snow pushed onto sidewalks, not from individual shoveling. Staff said they will start with education, follow up with in-person visits to repeat offenders and only then take cases to the city manager for removal-and-charge, hoping to avoid large-scale billing actions.

The committee discussed signage and possible targeted traffic-control changes for related street projects; staff said the department will return with a post-season summary and suggested improvements for FY2026 budgeting and policy consideration.

Ending: staff said the goal is to reduce pedestrian safety risks by keeping sidewalks clear while using education and improved tracking to avoid overburdening residents and department resources; no formal changes to ordinance 2304-6 were proposed at the meeting.","Public Works will start an education campaign and improve tracking before asking the city manager to authorize removal-and-charge enforcement under the city\u0011s snow-and-ice ordinance; staff said the $100-per-day mechanism cited earlier is not applicable without manager direction.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6258762,"Bangor staff present preemptive emerald ash borer plan after regional detections",1340,31161,1371285,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3145668-19b4053994ff7931b745983d4ee4b3cc&start=31&end=1371","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3145668-19b4053994ff7931b745983d4ee4b3cc/thumbnail_31161.jpg","/articles/6258762/Maine/Bangor-staff-present-preemptive-emerald-ash-borer-plan-after-regional-detections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6258762-191efea52d4258b701d0144705f2d773/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159413&Signature=gH-M3cJs08A-gLPAnZrbRqp9Yh4seOBj6LRQOlWlnUzaRnnj5FqlMWkjfB45eGL1tZ2xmmWIq7VwFXJKRDNInb2hvk2fL4e7LrWiFX8fRFzRKkRxhN6lboxOWBb40X-PAJeHdaYt38hwcgOtduk2TTGtTItAtmtriwRyXEek6ldHjUlu~E634lN5iYY-WGuvTeBVLH~w311oXR1esmFzQ2RWOe5DpAZbysLv4YiyNqBMX1Hakvt9ldGz107~w0JuUNbNGm2iTBZNDOQg4oY3eitwsE-p20nJHZnDO2iJuWbk0QAt746eTZx87QvFGjjKWAxvTy8OD1lV6oSaAEOvzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bangor Public Works staff and interns on Monday presented a preemptive emerald ash borer (EAB) management plan and a newly completed street-tree inventory that shows ash trees account for roughly 20.3% of the city\u0011s publicly managed urban canopy.

The inventory and draft management plan were produced by the Public Works Forestry Division in collaboration with the University of Maine School of Forest Resources. \"Emerald ash borer does pose a very significant threat to all ash in Bangor,\" said Sofia Cameron, a master\u0011s student who led the inventory work this summer for the city.

The nut graf: city staff said acting before a confirmed infestation will allow Bangor to prioritize trees for treatment, plan removals and replacements, and design outreach to private-property owners. The Maine Forest Service has been monitoring EAB in Maine since 2018, with detections in Stetson (2022) and Herman (2023); presenters said Maine is likely to see additional detections and urged preemptive steps.

City Forester Ben Aruta and the four University of Maine interns walked and logged every publicly owned street and right-of-way tree using Field Maps GIS tools. The inventory lists 8,574 actively managed public trees and identifies 1,740 ash trees (about 20.3% of the public tree stock) as of 2024. The interns recorded species, GPS location, diameter at breast height, a 1-to-5 condition rating and whether a tree intruded on utilities, sidewalks or private property.

Cameron explained EAB biology and identification: the insect (Agrilus planipennis) kills ash by feeding on the phloem, producing serpentine galleries under the bark and creating D-shaped exit holes. She said EAB has a reported mortality rate of about 98% for susceptible ash trees and is difficult to detect early because initial infestation begins in the canopy.

Staff outlined a four-part management approach that they plan to recommend to the council: (1) prioritized removal of trees already in poor condition or posing safety risks; (2) treatment via trunk injections for high-value, vigorous trees (staff noted trees can remain eligible for treatment until roughly 40% leaf loss); (3) replacement with climate-hardy, site-appropriate species and managed replanting to increase species diversity; and (4) continued monitoring using both Maine Forest Service traps and locally deployed monitoring (the city hopes to involve high-school students in a community-monitoring program).

Cameron said the city intends to plant species tolerant of future climate conditions and to avoid planting large-canopy trees under power lines. She also noted the cultural importance of brown ash to Wabanaki people and said the city will consult tribal leaders and basketmakers on any actions that might affect culturally important ash resources.

Staff emphasized outreach and private-property coordination: they plan to add a private-tree reporting function to the city's ClickFix system, pursue federal and state funding options to assist residents with dangerous private trees, and use an ArcGIS \"story map\" to let residents view the public-tree inventory and track treatment priorities.

Public Works staff said treatment work for trees already identified as eligible is planned to begin next spring and summer, and that the student capstone and a finalized management plan are expected to be presented to the full council in 2025 for consideration and potential adoption. No formal council vote was recorded at the committee meeting.

Ending: staff asked for council support to move the plan forward and for permission to continue outreach and coordination with state partners; staff and interns said the inventory provides the city with the data needed to prioritize action if EAB arrives locally.","City forestry staff and University of Maine students presented a preemptive emerald ash borer management plan and a full public-tree inventory showing ash trees make up about 20.3% of the city\u0011s managed urban canopy; staff plan to bring a formal recommendation to the council for adoption in 2025.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

DOT and city outline multi-year bridge work; residents warned of prolonged local impacts

Bangor public works plans education-first approach to sidewalk plowing enforcement

Bangor staff present preemptive emerald ash borer plan after regional detections