Use Caution As Major Construction Begins On Route 1A Monday

If you think traveling Route 1A is a pain in the butt now, you ain't seen nothing yet, folks.

Dedham/Lucerne Fire Department took to social media on Thursday to make the public aware of major construction coming to a section of Route 1A that will slow down traffic and create a 'no passing' part of Route 1A.

Major construction will be taking place from now until mid-June and is specific for a 2 mile stretch of Route 1A. The construction is to replace powerlines and will be in the area described as 'from the Lucerne Hills to jut past the Green Lake Road'.

According to the maps shared on social media, construction looks to start after Lily Road and move South past the intersections of Alamanda Road, Mann Hill Road, Reading Rock Lane, Green Lake Road, and Gander Ridge Road. This section of road nears the Southern border of Dedham and ends before entering Ellsworth.

What to expect as a traveler

Where you would normally be able to move faster through this stretch of Route 1A, speeds are now reduced to just 40 miles per hour. You can also expect a smaller amount of road space since truck lanes will be closed. This means that there will just be one lane for each side of the road and no passing lanes during construction. I repeat, THERE ARE NO PASSING LANES, SO BE PATIENT!

Pay attention

With these major changes, you will also come across more police presence, road impediments such as speed bumps and extra people around like flaggers. Again, BE CAREFUL AND MINDFUL OF THE PEOPLE DOING THEIR JOBS.

Route 1A is one of the most dangerous roads in Maine with many fatalities on this road year after year. Please be careful traveling this road during construction as tourist season ramps up.