Sen. Grohoski shares 2026 MDOT work plan for state bridge and road projects

Posted: March 24, 2026 | Senator Grohoski

AUGUSTA – Sen. Nicole Grohoski, D-Ellsworth, is pleased to announce the details of Maine’s three-year transportation infrastructure work plan, and what it means for Senate District 7. The plan is released annually with an outline of the Maine Department of Transportation’s strategy for road, bridge and other transportation upgrades and maintenance projects.

According to the Maine DOT, the three-year work plan makes a $4.5 billion investment in the construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure across the state. It includes 2,798 individual work items for the calendar years 2026, 2027 and 2028. Certain investments are contingent on pending federal funding.

“These investments in infrastructure projects – roads, bridges, culverts and ports – are some of the most critical ones we make in state government,” said Sen. Grohoski. “Across the district, we depend on resilient, robust transportation infrastructure for our work, health, education and enjoyment. The MDOT’s work plan for 2026 builds on the work we’ve been doing in state government to wisely invest limited dollars to deliver results.” 

The following breakdown is the planned engineering, capital investment and maintenance work by MDOT for communities in Senate District 7 in calendar year 2026:

Aviation

  • Trenton: Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport upgrades, including removing obstructions, adding pavement markings, acquiring easements and land, reconstructing a service road, terminal window replacement, and permitting for eagle monitoring.

Bicycle/Pedestrian

  • Ellsworth: Engineering to connect the Ellsworth Multi-use Trail to the Down East Sunrise Trail via an off-road path.

Bridge and Structural Maintenance

  • Blue Hill: Engineering for replacement of Village Bridge, which carries Route 15 over Mill Stream.
  • Deer Isle, Sedgwick: Assess the remaining service life of the Deer Isle-Sedgwick Bridge, which carries Route 15 over Eggemoggin Reach, and determine the longer-term need to replace it.
  • Ellsworth: Engineering for improvements to Main Street Bridge, which carries Route 1 over the Union River.

Drainage Maintenance

  • Bar Harbor: Replace a large municipal culvert on Crooked Road, located 0.02 of a mile east of Norway Drive.
  • Bar Harbor: Engineering for drainage improvements on Route 3, beginning at Eden Street and extending east 0.72 of a mile.
  • Blue Hill: Engineering to replace a large culvert on Route 172, located 0.34 of a mile north of Timberledge Lane.
  • Blue Hill: Purchase materials to replace a large culvert on Route 15, located 0.63 of a mile north of the Sedgwick Town Line.
  • Blue Hill: Drainage improvements to Route 15, beginning 0.37 of a mile north of Route 172 and extending north 0.15 of a mile.
  • Brooklin: Engineering to replace a large culvert on Route 175, located 0.34 of a mile south of Hales Woods Road.
  • Brooksville, Penobscot, Sedgwick: Ditching and replacing culverts on Route 176, beginning at the intersection of Route 15 (Sedgwick) and extending north and west 3.68 miles to the intersection with Bagaduce and Coastal Roads in Brooksville.
  • Castine, Orland, Penobscot: Ditching along Route 166, beginning at the intersection of Main Street (Castine) and extending 14.95 miles northeast to the intersection of Route 1 (Orland).
  • Lamoine: Engineering to replace a large culvert on Route 204, located 0.29 of a mile east of Buttermilk Road.
  • Mount Desert: Ditching and replacing culverts on Route 3, beginning 40 feet south of Walls Street and extending 9.90 miles northwest.
  • Penobscot: Improve a large culvert on Route 175, located 0.03 of a mile west of Mill Creek Road.
  • Penobscot: Replace a large culvert on Route 199, located 0.09 of a mile southwest of New Road.
  • Sedgwick: Engineering to replace a large culvert on Route 15, located 0.14 of a mile southwest of Herrick Road.
  • Sedgwick: Engineering to improve a large culvert on Route 172, located 0.33 of a mile south of Hales Hill Road.
  • Trenton: Replace a large culvert on Route 230, located 0.36 of a mile south of the Ellsworth Town Line.

Highway Rehabilitation and Safety Improvements

  • Blue Hill: Begin rehabilitation of Route 15, beginning at the Sedgwick Town Line and extending north 2.09 miles.
  • Ellsworth: Engineering for reconstruction of Route 1A, beginning 0.07 of a mile north of State Street and extending south 0.59 of a mile.
  • Mount Desert: Engineering to improve Route 3, beginning 0.01 of a mile east of Upper Dunbar Road and extending south 0.66 of a mile.
  • Trenton: Engineering for slope stabilization and protection of Route 3, located 0.49 of a mile north of the Bar Harbor Town Line.
  • Southwest Harbor: Work on Route 102A, beginning 0.01 of a mile south of Seascape Lane and extending south 0.50 of a mile (Seawall area).

Highway Paving

  • Brooksville, Penobscot, Sedgwick: Pave Route 175, beginning at Route 15 at Black Corner and extending north 14.58 miles to Route 166.
  • Castine, Penobscot: Pave Route 199, beginning at Route 166 and extending north 3.49 miles to Route 175.
  • Ellsworth: Pave Route 1A, beginning 0.39 of a mile southeast of Christian Ridge Road and extending southeast 1.29 miles.
  • Orland: Pave Route 46, beginning at Route 1 on the Orland/Bucksport Town Line and extending northeast 18.65 miles to Route 9 (through Bucksport, Dedham, Holden and Eddington).
  • Orland, Penobscot: Pave Route 166, beginning at Route 175 and extending north 8.01 miles to Route 1.
  • Penobscot: Pave Route 199, beginning at Route 175 and extending north 4.98 miles to Route 15.
  • Verona Island: Pave West Side Road/East Side Road for 8.64 miles between the north and south intersections with Route 1.

Ports-Harbors-Ferry

  • Bar Harbor: Ells Pier rehabilitation.
  • Southwest Harbor: Shore Road rehabilitation, near Manset Town Landing.
  • Swan’s Island: Expand the Swan’s Island crew quarters by one or two bedrooms.

Special Programs

  • Castine: Scope and design a phased plan for the redesign of the Town of Castine’s dock area, located on Sea Street.
  • Ellsworth: Evaluate pedestrian, bicycle, accessibility, and mobility improvements in Downtown Ellsworth, along Route 1, Route 3, Main Street, Route 230, State Street and Water Street and address climate resiliency as part of the Village Partnership Initiative.
  • Penobscot: Design a new salt sand storage facility.
  • Southwest Harbor, Swan’s Island: Implement the state grant program for wharves and piers that provide a significant and compelling benefit to Maine’s commercial fishing and aquaculture industries.
  • Stonington: Evaluate pedestrian, bicycle, accessibility and mobility improvements in Downtown Stonington as part of the Village Partnership Initiative.
  • Surry: Scope and design for the low-lying portion of a municipal road, Newbury Neck Road, at the narrowest point.
  • Trenton: Building maintenance at the Acadia Gateway Center, as part of the Annual Maintenance Agreement.
  • Verona Island: Operating costs andrepairs at Penobscot Narrows Observatory, located on Route 1 at the Prospect-Verona Island Town Line.

View the entire 2026-2027-2028 Three-Year MDOT Work Plan at www.mainedot.gov.

###