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Council raises traffic, snow-removal and parade concerns over Summer Street closure for 32-unit housing project
Summary
Councilors questioned the length and impacts of a Summer Street full closure from Oct. 6 to mid-December for construction of a 32-unit housing complex; interim city manager said she will consult DOT and seek a plan and possible deadline for reopening.
City staff told the Gardiner City Council on Oct. 1 that Summer Street would be fully closed from Oct. 6 until mid-December for safety and maneuverability while a 32-unit housing complex is built. Interim City Manager Denise Brown said the contractor, LaJoy Brothers, posted notice to nearby businesses and residents and that the city placed a flashing message sign on the street.
Councilor Rusty Greenleaf said he has received calls from residents and described growing traffic backups on Bridge Street and Highland Avenue since barricades and orange dividers narrowed the route. "When there's a couple cars waiting to turn in Hannaford ... the traffic was back up beyond the top of the hill as far as I could see," Greenleaf said. He added, "I do think that space was the space when they started this project ... I think going into December was way too long." Greenleaf also raised concerns about snow removal and where the city or contractor would store plowed snow at the closed end of Summer Street, and noted a planned parade on Dec. 6 that typically uses Summer Street for staging.
Brown said she will speak with the Department of Transportation contact handling the project to confirm whether the full closure will expedite work and whether the city should require a deadline for reopening. "Let me talk with him and see if we can come up with a plan," Brown said, and added she would follow up with councilors.
Councilor suggestions included posting alternative route guidance on the city website to reduce neighborhood cut-through traffic; one councilor noted that some drivers already take Winter Street or other side routes to avoid congestion but that shifting traffic to Highland Avenue was a concern for residents.
Public works director John Cameron is meeting with DOT to assess Riverside Road and the detour route and to determine needed repairs; Brown said Cameron offered to supply material from the public works pit to fill potholes. Brown also reported other operational updates: Route 24 is slated to reopen at the end of the week, and the police department returned to a 12-hour shift schedule this week to increase overlap and presence in the community.
No formal vote was taken on the Summer Street closure; the interim city manager described this as a staff follow-up and possible direction to the contractor rather than a council directive.
