MBTA Fall PDH Tour:

From the 'Pike to Park Avenue: Three projects shaping Southern Maine transportation

 

Friday, October 5, 2018

Earn up to 6 PDH (professional development hours) credits at the 2018 ‘Learn to Earn’ tour.

Featured will be MTA Exit 44 Toll Plaza, MaineDOT / Portland's Woodfords Corner, and Portland's Park Avenue Separated Bike Lane

Schedule:

7:30 am                       Continental Breakfast, Maine Turnpike Authority, 2360 Congress Street, Portland

8:00 am                       Welcome & Presentation, Maine Turnpike Authority

8:30 am                       Board bus to Exit 44 High-Speed Toll Plaza project

10:30 am                     Tour of Woodfords Corner project

12 Noon                      Lunch – City of Portland Public Works Department 

                                   Presentation and project tour of Separated Bike Lanes

2:00 pm                       Bus returns to Maine Turnpike Authority

MTA Exit 44 Toll Plaza

The Maine Turnpike Authority began construction of its fourth Open Road Toll Plaza on I-295 off Turnpike Exit 44 in Scarborough in early 2017.  This state-of-the-art tolling facility will allow E-ZPass customers to cruise through two high-speed center lines in each direction and pay tolls electronically, while allowing all customers to safely pull to the right in separated low-speed lanes to pay cash at staffed toll booths. The project was planned to maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction to minimize traffic disruption, which has required periodic lane changes over the course of construction. In addition to the traditional highway work, the $17.4 million project includes an underground tunnel, an administrative building, and an extensive amount of electronic equipment.  The project is being constructed by Reed & Reed, Inc. of Woolwich and is scheduled to be complete in the fall of 2019.  

MaineDOT/Portland Woodfords Corner

This MaineDOT project is a total reconstruction of one of Portland’s busiest intersections, and includes everything from road alignment, traffic signals, underground and aerial lighting utilities, railroad crossing, public art, pedestrian and bicycle movement, and bus stops. Shaw Bros. Construction of Gorham is the general contractor on this project, and has been working very closely with MaineDOT to manage this major project while minimizing the impact to the traveling public. Participants will learn about the significant strategies and continuing innovation needed to keep this project moving forward.  

Portland’s Park Avenue Separated Bike Lane

This streetscape project modifies Park Avenue by providing three consistent, narrower, vehicle lanes between Valley Street and Forest Avenue, reconfiguring on-street parking and adding a paving separated bike lane in each direction. These changes were made with paint, flexible posts and new signage.

The project will complete the link between bike facilities on Portland Street, St. John Street and the rest of Park Avenue. The effort is part of a larger plan by the City to increase transportation options for all, connecting and growing the city’s bicycle network, and improving safety for all road users living, working and traveling in the Parkside neighborhood.

Tour Cost is $90 per person and includes bus transportation and lunch.  

Many thanks to event sponsors Cross Insurance and The Lane Construction Corp. Also, thanks to the Maine Turnpike Authority, MaineDOT and the City of Portland for hosting the 2018 MBTA PDH Tour.

Sponsorships are still available for the PDH Tour.

Register Now!